Geisha Girl
by HitsuHina143
Summary: The rules of his supernatural existence is simple: Outsiders must never learn about their history. And there shall be no mutual connection between one of the royals to an outsider. A story about broken rules. HitsuHina. Slight IchiRuki.
1. Interests

Chapter 1

_ Every residence is wishing for a day of peace and quiet to when they will be able to engulf themselves with their own wishes or fantasies. Where the rich and poor are forbidden to even mingle, the rich are disgusting and selfish creatures who bride the less fortunate with their money. If there was only a way to end all this madness between the royal clans and their slaves. This is the city of Rikyio… _

"Momo, would you stop writing in your journal of make-believe fantasies and come down here, it's a full house!"

Hinamori sighed, closed her book and tucked it into her make-up drawer and straightened out her kimono before scuffling after her manger Chihori's annoying commands. _Geez, it really is a full house today! _

"Excuse me…"

"Pardon…"

"Oops, sorry didn't see you there…"

"I'd like to order!"

"Momo-chan, what are you doing? You heard the man!" _Oh geez. So much for my day off. _

She sighed. "Right away Hori-san."

"Thank you for attending, Suyatsu Tea House, please come again." Cleaning up was going to be hell. The tables were stained with left-over food, tea was spilt, and the floors…no one could even begin at how disgusted they were with the floors. But the extra hours meant extra payment. Chihori counted out the bills and tips.

"Good job ladies, service tonight has doubled in payments." Even so with her gratitude, having to split the total with five waitresses wasn't a very high individual check. Hinamori was busy scrubbing the tables when someone tapped her on the shoulder; she turned to find Rukia holding bags of trash.

"It's your turn to take out the rubbish, Momo."

Hinamori grimaced, "But it's raining."

Inoue popped up with an umbrella. "Here you go."

Jumping off a wet, slimy garbage can in the dark was so not a good idea but she did it anyway in which her kimono got caught on the edge and before she knew it, a large ripping sound made its way up her leg. She gasped in horror. Screaming in frustration, she tugged out her hair ornaments as she made her way back inside the tea house.

"Hinamori-chan, are you alright?" Inoue asked pausing at a stain on the table. Rukia was sweeping the doorstep only to follow Hinamori back in with horror. Rukia and Inoue were both looking at her kimono.

"Momo, how and why would you do that? You know Hori-sama's going to be furious." Rukia gaped in disbelief. "Your kimono is your most precious possession and you ruined it!"

"Okay, okay I get it Kuchiki-san but it's dark, wet and slippery outside and maybe if the trash can was bigger than maybe this wouldn't have to happen."

She brushed passed her friends, stomping on her way up, she hoped to stash her kimono somewhere before her manager caught on.

"Hinamori, Momo you better have a good reason on to why you're walking on my floors with your wet and dirty feet!" Chihori's voice boomed up the stairs. "Get down here this instant!"

_Busted. _

The slapping of the wooden fan against her skin was the only thing she heard and felt against her arm. Every time it came down, she'd curse and if Chihori heard it, the impact would worsen. After her arm formed the red memory of the fan down her lower arm, Hinamori didn't have the time to wash away the warm red line that made its way down her hand when the next unwelcomed customer stalked through the doors.

"Welcome to the Suyatsu Tea House." Orhime chimed. Fine well, these people were the only uninvited guest to the shop in Hinamori's mind. _The Royal Clans don't need to be here with their pity money. _She looked the time; men only came here to be entertained.

"You will go to your room, change and do your performances. Be here in five minutes as for your kimono, your expenses will pay for it."

Chihori shoved Hinamori on her way threatening her with the blood stained fan still clasped in her hand. She undressed herself, re-did her make-up and hair before Nanao popped her head through.

"The head mistress wants us to perform in three."

Hinamori almost scratched her scalp raw with her comb. _It's not fair; I am not supposed to be on duty! _ Taking a deep breath, she casually brushed passed Nanao or accidentally bumped her aside. She wasn't taking going to have anything else ruin her day or else she'd literally start screaming and pulling her hair out. In the end, Hinamori couldn't concentrate, she'd either spill tea on the table or customer, leave something out of their orders or do something disrespectful. Chihori had enough of her behaviour.

Yanking her by her elbow, she dragged Hinamori into the back kitchen for a serious scolding. Hinamori on the other hand could careless about her scolding; she'd either not hear them or say something insolent which got her multiple slaps across the face, hard.

"You better listen to me as long as you're under my household your life is in my hands and so far your life is your payments and until that is fulfilled you're mine and don't you forget that."

Hinamori, despite being the most disrespectful of Chihori's employees, she was the best at brewing tea, performing and according to the customer's the most striking. These were the only reasons why she was still here but even so it'd take forever until her debts were repaid and working for thirteen years as a Geisha still hadn't paid off, she wasn't sure if she'd ever succeed.

Being left alone in her room, she drowned in her own frustration, anger and pity. Not only was she not going to get paid for weeks but she'd been a disgrace in front of her friends and customers. Hinamori flooded in her own stupidity and grief until all her friends snuck up to her room.

"You're not supposed to be here, Hori-san won't be happy about this."

Her friends brushed it off like nothing. "Won't hurt anybody if no body knows."

Everyone silently agreed with Rukia.

"Better get back down, the head mistress is looking." Nanao whispered through the paper doors.

"Thanks guys." Hinamori smiled slightly, feeling little comfort from their short company.

She awoke from the painful pokes of her manager; she groaned and opened her eyes. "Yes, Hori-san?"

Before Hinamori could receive an answer or simply ask more questions, she was being unrobed and then she was dragged towards the bath house without warning her flesh was practically flaking off.

"Hiro-san, it burns!" she shrieked.

Chihori pointed a finger at the brunette, warning her. "You will do as told; in ten minutes you shall be cleaned till the point where your skin is raw. I won't have a soiled, disrespectful Geisha in front of me when I get back."

At first Hinamori sat there until she realized that she really did need a bath, so she did exactly as told well not _exactly_ but until she felt she was clean enough before tip-toeing back into the changing room to recollect her belongings. Back at the tea shop, everything was unusually quiet which was expected at some point having it being one in the am but hearing her manager in an engrossed conversation was not.

"Certainly this must be some mistake." Chihori sounded taken back. "I mean you must have the wrong Geisha. She's obstinate, clumsy and impolite; he definitely doesn't want to have a waitress like this one."

Hinamori had her eye squinting through the cracks in the door's wooden frame and frowned against her manager's cruelty towards her character. _Made me look bad why don't you?_

"I'm afraid, the purinsu is firm with his wishes and what he wants certainly will not be ignored unless you'll be making this difficult for us, Chihori." The man's voice was dangerous now. But Chihori's response was quivery.

"Certainly not, pardon me of my rudeness." Before Hinamori could open the door and scream that everything was a lie, a hand caught her by the wrist and she was being pulled back up the stairs. It was quite frightening when her friends locked her in her room but it was more terrifying when they were pulling at her hair.

"I am sorry, Momo but you'll have to bear with us. Apparently this is Chihiro's orders." Nanao whispered Hinamori opened her mouth only to be interrupted by Nanao "Don't ask questions because we don't know about anything," combing and pulling at Hinamori's hair till her scalp turned sore. Inoue was re-mixing a new batch of Shiro-nuri (face paint) with diluted water as Rukia was scrubbing her face, raw. They worked quickly but in a careful manner applying on the layers of make-up to her face, greasing and playing with her hair till they found the right style to position it on her head. Hinamori was used to being as pale as a ghost with luscious full red lips and radiant eyes but right now at one-thirty in the morning, she looked different, more dazzling. Her friends tucked her multiple ornaments in her twist of glossy black hair before squeezing the life out of her with a usually pink silk obi around the waist.

Upon arriving downstairs, Chihiro and her visitor were just patching up the details of their discussion when Hinamori happened to be walking down the steps in her kimono with its light pink stitched flowers and black ripples along the hem upon its silky red background.

"Ah, Momo just the lady we've been looking for. Chihori if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have my discussion with her now."

"But-" her manager wasn't finished yet.

"But what?" this man with odd red hair rolled his eyes.

"We were just finishing discussing the funds."

The man smiled, "Right…forgot."

Grabbing an inked brush from a nearby counter, he wrote something on a white napkin obviously Hinamori knew right away what it was. _A price or payment. _But she didn't know why or what it was for.

"Oh…my." Chihori's voice came out in a surprised breathless manner. She looked from Hinamori and back to the man standing in front of her. "But this is too much, you're master certainly must know what he's getting his hands into. This is beyond an imaginable amount of cash; it pays for the debts and even more."

"Exactly." The man nodded. "It's what's intended but even I do not know the reasons behind all of this. Now," he walked over to Hinamori and placed his hand on her shoulder pushing her towards the paper doors. "If you'll excuse us, I believe it's our turn for a discussion."

Hinamori was confused at what this man wanted, and at why her manager was just standing in the hall holding the napkin because numbers didn't mean anything till you've seen it with your own eyes. Despite this she placed herself in the small room with a stranger who seemed to have business with her.

"What do you want?" Hinamori blurted out on gut feeling. The man raised his eyebrows and frowned.

"Isn't it common courtesy for a geisha to introduce herself to their customers?"

"Hinamori Momo, at your service." She said before bowing slightly.

Renji rolled his eyes, "I don't do the whole Geisha schedule thing and nor do I want to, I am only here to send you a message. My name is Abarai Renji…" _And I thought his name would sound weirder than his looks. _"On orders from the purinsu of the Aisu Clan. Hereby-"

"What? You're royalty?" Hinamori didn't mean to sound rude but she was never fond of royalty nor was she ever going to speak to one. So she stood up. Renji wasn't only surprised but he was offended.

"I don't know what's suddenly gotten into you but your defying royal orders."

She gritted her teeth, "I don't care about you and your royalty matter of fact I can't even seem to remember when I _ever_ cared about them."

Before Hinamori could turn away, her manager swung open the door and slapped her straight across the face. No one had ever seen Chihiro so furious.

"Momo, you will obey royalty-"

"I will not." Hinamori snapped.

"You will _because_ you've just been bought by the Aisu Clan!" Chihiro shot back.

**Authors Note: Well here's the first chapter of my new story on which I'll be juggling updates between this and Only You: You&Me, forever? Anywho I'd like to know your opinions on this one so please review! I'll try and update when I get **_**6+ reviews**__. _

_Preview: Hinamori hoped this clan wasn't as cold as they sounded because even though standing in front of a gorgeous mansion, she hoped that it'd just swallow her up at this very moment and make her disappear. And she thought she was released from the grasp of hell at the tea house but now only to be captured and brought to another. _


	2. Something Different

Chapter 2

Hinamori lost it. It had been a long day and she was absolutely not going to stand there getting lectured by a pain-in-the-ass manager. She had already had enough of that.

"Go to hell," she spat at Chihiro who for just a moment stood there baffled by Hinamori's words. Then her expression changed from shock to utter outrage that her face turned an odd shade of reddish-purple. This time Renji acted and caught hold of the middle aged women before she could strike Hinamori across the face for the tenth time in the past six hours.

He cleared his throat, "I cannot permit you to summon anymore damage on her as of now she is in royal care and if you challenge me, this won't be a fair fight because I don't usually hit a woman unless ordered to. And right now as her body guard, those rules apply from now on."

Despite his overprotections of her, Hinamori still scowled with disgust. "I am not someone's pet." She said, "Nor did I agree to any of this."

Renji ignored her completely as he took a pile of papers off a nearby counter and stuck them into a folder that was labelled with her name. As of now, she was officially owned by the Aisu clan and everyone knew that she couldn't object even if she had a lawyer. Chihiro glared at her disowned Geisha as she circled around her towards the stairs, Hinamori didn't miss her words that were directed to Renji.

"Your master is a fool to take in such a useless pet."

Neither of them heard Renji's response.

Hinamori packed her suitcase full of expensive garments, unsure of what she was preparing for. To be safe she slipped her fan Tanto into her sleeve below the arm hole concealing it. To calm her nerves, she opened her journal and made a list of positives of being freed from the Tea House.

_No more of Hiro-san's orders _

_Freedom to wander_

_Royalty? _

She closed her journal. Having one more thing to pack.

Without bothering to knock, she slid open the door to her Chihiro's room. She was engrossed in her calligraphy.

"Do you want something?" she mumbled still cleanly stroking her papers.

"Want? It's not what I want, but rather what I have to receive." I am here to pick up my monthly payments. You said you'd give it to me and since I'll be leaving soon I've decided to claim it."

Chihiro paused on a stroke, but then continued before pointing to an envelope placed by her nightstand also clearly printed with Hinamori's name on it. Before turning to leave Chihiro turned towards the door, "I just need one thing in return."

Hinamori rolled her eyes. "Thought so."

"Please don't make a fool of yourself it'll show your disrespect to the royal clans. I didn't transform you into a Geisha to have you dishonour your family and instructor."

"My family's already dead." She whispered.

Chihiro waved her away, thanked her for a job well done or in other words pitied her in silence. From quarter to three, Renji was standing at Hinamori's doorway.

"Let's go."

She followed him through the narrow hallway of the petite shop before he led her out into the raging downpour. He walked on her left shielding her from the rain with an umbrella. She frowned as he was already treating her like royalty. A black carriage and a large stallion was waiting out front of the shop for them. Renji took her hand and helped her hop into the back seat before he closed and locked the door on her. She saw him go around front to sit up front with the stallion and they were being dragged along the bumpy and vacant roads.

"Get some rest," Renji commanded as the world trailed behind her through the curtained window. Hinamori sat back, closed her eyes and realized how terribly tired she was and sleep seemed a very good idea. Feeling warm and comfortable despite the spinning in her restless mind the light sky seemed to be greeting them in the horizon. She remembered imagining what it would be like if she lived in the house of royalty right before she drifted off and as hell goes, this one wasn't so bad.

Waking up at whose knows what time with a pounding headache wasn't exactly Hinamori's idea of a good nights rest. Her gloom only continued when Renji flung open the door of the carriage that she realized she had awakened right on cue but then again it was still raining. Renji lead her up to a wrought iron-gate surrounding a loopy pathway that lead up to a mansion surrounded by trees that looked like a forest in the background. It looked small in the distance but standing on the front step, she felt like an ant.

Renji jammed a key into the lock and twisted and with a light click the door swung open on its own revealing a white and black checker floor with a white spiral staircase leading to the next level with its red carpet of course. Even though standing in front of a gorgeous mansion, she hoped that it'd just swallow her up at this very moment and make her disappear. And she thought she was released from the grasp of hell at the tea house but now only to be captured and brought to another or so she thought…

"Wake up…" A motherly voice whispered into Hinamori's ear.

She opened her eyes to found out that she was crashed out on a fairly large queen size bed in a light purple room with the sunlight shining through a double door balcony, she turned and almost screamed when she saw a strawberry blonde and busty women sitting at her feet. Hinamori squirmed in her multiple layered kimono realizing how uncomfortable it was sleeping in layers of fabric. Before she had time to ask who this stranger was sitting at her bed, the strawberry blonde rose to her feet went to a walk in closet and came out with a frilly white sundress.

"Welcome to the Hitsugaya mansion, breakfast is waiting for you and please change into this while we'll be waiting for you downstairs."

Without another word, she left. At first Hinamori thought she was a maid but she was dressed oddly out of fashion to be one plus who doesn't introduce themselves. Apparently this woman did. The room she was in was enormous with its walk in closet and the bathroom had a sauna with triple sinks and a walk in shower. After fifteen minutes of having trouble with her hair ornaments, she finally changed despite being uncomfortable with one layer of clothing before making her way down to where she heard a booming of voices.

She felt like she was stepping into a personal argument as six figures were surrounding a table engrossed in their own bickering about something Hinamori couldn't make out. Renji was the first to notice their new guest.

"Morning Hinamori, breakfast is on the counter." He pointed to a tin-foiled wrapped plate. But she didn't smile as twelve pair of eyes was on her, she gulped.

"Good morning," she bowed, "thank you for letting me to stay here."

The strawberry blonde burst into laughter, "My god, she's adorable!"

Hinamori blushed as five men smiled at her, acknowledging her.

Renji grabbed her plate and placed it on one of the two empty seats by the head of the table, gesturing her to take her place. She unwrapped her breakfast to a plate full of pancakes, sausage, hash browns and fresh fruit. But she couldn't eat it with everyone staring. So she frowned at them and they all looked away in different directions, some were whistling. Pushing her plate away she crossed her arms.

"I am not going to eat at a table full of strangers."

Renji jumped right into intros gesturing to people one at a time, pointing to the strawberry blonde first. "This is Matsumoto Rangiku," he continued along the table. "Kurosaki Ichigo, Kira Izuru, and Madarame Ikkaku and last but not least Ayasegawa Yumichika."

They all dove into details about themselves, even throwing in exaggerated animations or _hidden talents _about themselves which Hinamori knew were all make-belief. In the midst of their verbal autobiographies, she had eaten her breakfast but her stomach wasn't satisfied as she poured herself some green tea and eyed Yumichika's untouched plate of harsh brown and pancakes lustfully. "Are you going to eat that?"

She couldn't help herself as she was starving for some reason, probably thanks to her lack of dinner the previous night. Yumichika slid the plate across to her and she dug in gratefully.

"That's an awful lot of food to waste, are you on a diet?" Matsumoto asked, as if she knew what Hinamori had been thinking. She poured genuine maple syrup over her newly untouched hotcakes and slathered on some butter. "Too much sugar and fats are irritably annoying to lose all the carbs and don't forget calories."

Matsumoto rolled her eyes and made a face at Hinamori in which she almost spat hot tea over Ichigo. Yumichika looked annoyed while Renji was trying not to laugh, failing miserably. Hinamori's lips quirked as she caught his eyes.

"I need a bath." She announced abruptly. Mainly to avoid getting in-between their nonsense bickering but there was no doubt that she could use one.

Matsumoto took her hand and walked her down a long corridor passing by an enormous dinning hall. "There is another bathroom further down the hall on the right but that's the guys, each of us also has our own individual bathroom in our rooms but these are more for the hygiene situations. Also there's another upstairs but it belongs to our master, so it's off limits."

There were at least seven doors on each floor of the house but most were already occupied with junk or more bathrooms.

"If you require anything else, do not hesitate to ask." Hinamori nodded and escaped into the cool, white-tiled oasis of another large bathroom. Turning the water up as hot as it would go and she leaned back so tired that she simply stared at the soap for a minute, vaguely wishing for someone to wash her back. Her emotions fled somewhere else, leaving her blank as she was still physically exhausted from lack of sleep. She rinsed off, let out the dirty bathwater and started over, putting in enough bubbles that the foam puffed over the sides of the tub and ran onto the floor, she could care less. As she wanted to stay in the bath until night and postpone hearing whatever these extremely generous people had planned her for. Grateful for their protection but doubted the help would come without a heavy price. Hinamori was trapped her whether or not she escaped, there could possibly be more dangers out there. Whatever this Aisu clan wanted, she'd probably have to pay up but Hinamori hoped this clan wasn't as cold as they sounded.

No one interrupted her extremely long bath. It didn't help her much anyway, her thoughts carried away making her feel like a prisoner now. She was exhausted despite having had, at a guess six hours sleep. She stiffly got out of the bath, feeling under weight and peered in the triple mirrors. She'd never been particularly vain but she was shocked to see herself so dead. She sighed before slipping into nothing but a white robe and headed out the bathroom door only to collide right into Matsumoto's chest.

"Oof, sorry Rangiku-san, I didn't see…" she stopped mid-sentence. "What is _that_?" her expression turned to fright as Matsumoto's grin widened.

"This my friends is a ballroom gown and right now it's time for lessons, so come on and get dressed because it's time to dance!"

Hinamori buried her face in humiliation and irritation before screaming into them. But she was here to do as told and nothing could stop her from protesting, at least for now.

"Would you like to dance?" Kira asked.

Hinamori loved to dance but not _this _dance, and she didn't want to embarrass him. There was no doubt in her mind that he had no idea how to do a modern dance. Still it was incredibly sweet of him to offer.

"It's okay."

He didn't listen when Matsumoto and Renji entered the room. He rose to his feet and held his out hand to her. "Yes, you do."

As soon as they reached the dance floor, she realized that his look wasn't to be deceived because the man could dance. Kira knew every step as if he'd been born to it. In fact, he had perfect moves, graceful, yet incredibly masculine for such a slim guy. Hinamori had never seen anything like it. By the time the song ended, she was breathless.

"How did you-"

"Comes from my family genes," Kira said

She blinked and whispered, "Sorry for stepping on your feet." but he dropped his hands from her body and left her standing in the middle of the dance floor baffled. But after two more fast songs, she had to sit down. She just didn't have their stamina.

As the group continued their dance routines with the help of other friends that Hinamori had never met or seen, she watched them silently as they flew across the floor. She was a little envious that this clan was better than she expected.

Hinamori walked downstairs and marvelled at the bright moonlight streaming through the windows. It was funny how people took such small things for granted. She remembered a time when she took had never noticed anything as simple as a full moon.

Heading further down the spiralling stairs she noticed, a portrait in the wall next to double doors leading into a living room. She paused. The man in the picture was mesmerising, and the picture was absolutely shocking in its detail. Even though his pose was a casual stance, he looked like a predator ready to spring with raw, animal sexuality. Even wearing a suit, she could see his muscles, which bulged in perfect proportion to his height and weight which was only fairly taller than herself.

Licking her lips, Hinamori looked at his face.

She stared at the sharp, handsome features that held just a hint of a devilish smile and his green-blue eyes that was piercing in their intensity as if he was about to come alive to claim her. A chill stole up her spine, and her body throbbed in areas she'd never known a body could throb. It was a fierce, demanding ache she'd never before known. He was amazing. So very perfect and inviting. So incredibly sexy.

Blinking, she glanced around to see if she'd been secretly spied on but it being almost one in the morning, everyone should have been asleep. Then she saw _it _in the huge spacious living room beside the fireplace was a grand piano. As if pulled by an unseen hand, Hinamori felt herself drawn to the fireplace and the piano. She ran her hand over the smooth, clean, and sparkling surface of its cover. Even more intrigued than before, she unlocked the lid to reveal the untouched keys. Cautiously she tapped one of the keys and it played out a gentle sound.

Smiling, she positioned herself then the room filled with her own melody as she ran her fingers over the keys, playing out her own tune.

At first she didn't see anything but as she came to a fade out, she _felt _a strange presence. One that made the hair on her back of her arms and neck rise.

Carefully, she put her melody to an end until another set of hands joined hers on the keys.

"What the…?"

Beside her was man from the portrait, a very handsome man.

A _shirtless_ man!

**Authors Note: So super duper sorry for the very late update but it's been a busy week and Halloween is almost over for me! Anywho special thanks to DotsOnAWall, Momo21 (one of the most supportive fans ever), x-ichirin-no-hana-x and Himiko Areess (good to hear from you two again) for the alerts and I'll update when I get 15+ reviews! **

**P.S – I look forward to your continuing support! Love ya'll and Happy Halloween. **


	3. Unintentional Desires

Chapter 3

Hinamori did what any woman would do while confronting a stranger about an arms length away in any room. She tried jumped away from him. Faster than she could react, he wrapped his warm hand around her wrist, tenderly immobilizing it.

"Do not scream." He said, "People are asleep."

Good gracious, his deep masculine voice was rich that could only be described as erotic or downright delicious in any woman's mind. Hinamori's gaze feasted on his chest. Unable to move or look pass all that incredible skin as she fought the urge to moan at the intensely wicked sensation his fingers brought against the skin of her arm. Her entire body burned from it. Compelled, she wanted to see his face, to see for herself if the whole of him was as incredible as his body. As she looked up, past the sculpted muscles of his shoulders, her eyes widened.

It was _him_ from the painting!

He had the sleek, powerful build of male model; his muscles were hard, lean and gorgeous. On top of his shoulders, his biceps, forearms and chest, this couldn't be happening, everything was too perfect from his white hair that fell around one side of his face.

And yet…

"Who are you?" she never knew his name.

He smiled with full, sensuous lips curving them into a half-amused smirk, displaying a set of dimples that cut slightly into his tanned cheeks. And his eyes.

_I must be dreaming! _

They were a deep turquoise and then she had a feeling his looks, could kill her even as she stood up slowly. This wasn't real. It couldn't be real because you can't just wake up in the middle of the night and fantasize about a man in a painting then have him materialize in front of you. She stepped back, her heart hammering against the throb that begged her to jump this guy's soul. But Hinamori could do nothing but stare.

In the next instant, he gently brushed her hair out of her eyes but he squeezed her wrist when she winced from his touch.

"You must be Hinamori Momo." He said, taking her by her shoulders. "My name is Hitsugaya Toushiro. Tell me have we met before?"

"You don't have a shirt on," she whispered, looking him up and down in astonishment as he came to his feet. "I mean you really don't have a shirt on."

He tucked the ends of her hair behind her ears. "We've established that."

Confused, Hinamori frowned. "I've never seen you around in my entire life."

Hitsugaya reached out to cup her chin in his strong hand. Hinamori couldn't move again. All she could do was let him tilt her head up until she was staring back into his penetrating eyes. They hypnotized her. The heat from his chest seeped into her, beckoning her with an odd erotic, sensual promise of whatever he was going to do next.

A tremor of fear thrummed through her body yet some part of her wasn't afraid as he removed his hand from her face to slide his fingers against the length of her neck and shoulders. Something in her gut told her that he wasn't going to hurt her intentionally. His fingers found the strap to her knight gown.

"What are you doing?" she asked, finding her voice. She felt his fingers pause underneath the strap hanging loosely off her shoulder.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" he asked.

"I don't understand what's going on." Hinamori said when Hitsugaya snapped her strap back in place where it belonged on her shoulder. She stepped away from him as she couldn't take her eyes of him as he was gorgeous. White eyebrows slashed over eyes that were both terrifying and tranquil. Eyes that watched her with too much heat. An image of him poised above her as he ran his hand over her body…

"Stop that." She snapped at both her dirty thoughts and him.

His features blanked as he stared down on her and asked "Stop what?"

Silence followed as she opened her mouth to respond to his question, and then stopped.

"Stop staring at me like that." She finally said at last, flashing her eyes around the room that somehow found its way back to his body. "I need to sit down for a minute and you…" she swallowed. "Need to put a shirt on."

The corners of Hitsugaya's mouth twitched. "It's twenty-degrees on a summer night and you're telling me to put more clothes on?"

"Look," she said. "Believe it or not I don't have any reason here so until I find it, I can't leave and I don't need another friend or relative or whatever you are to these people to order me around."

Hinamori could tell by his face that he didn't care for her words. Not at all.

"Except you're still under this roof and as long as you're under this household, you obey orders when you receive them otherwise you can do anything you wish."

"I wish to leave."

"Except for that."

Frustrated, Hinamori started to pace. Her hormones back under control as she yearned for an escape. She turned back around to face him and glared.

"You don't have the right to order me around only the master who ever he is can."

His face stoic, he spoke quietly. "I guess you didn't pay attention to what my subordinates told you."

"Matter of fact I did, Rangiku-san explained that he was out of town and wouldn't be returning-"

"Until tonight."

She tensed at his words as they sunk in. "Don't tell me…"

He nodded. "I guess I didn't introduce myself properly, my name is Hitsugaya Toushiro and I welcome you to _my_ mansion."

As Hitsugaya looked at Hinamori, a slow smiled cruved his lips. Never before had he encountered anything or anyone this stubborn. The grandfather clock in the upstairs hallway chimed twice.

"Well," Hinamori said turning for the doors towards the stairs. "Good night."

Hitsugaya's face was impassive until he touched her arm; she saw his need and most of all his curiosity.

He didn't want her to leave.

Licking her dry lips, she said something she couldn't believe. "Or do you want me to stay?"

He gave her a sheepish smile, putting an odd feeling in her stomach. Was it tenderness?

"Are you hungry?" he asked, motioning her to follow him down a hallway to the kitchen.

"Not really." She said, taking her place across from him at the table.

"Some sake then?"

"You're kidding right?" she gasped as he placed a jug of clear liquid between them. Hitsugaya cocked his brow at her wholly unexpected by the amount of bitterness he heard in her question. Yet a smile softened his features making him more devastating.

_What is he thinking, drinking sake at two in the morning?! _

She didn't know but there was something so compelling about this man. Something that reached out and touched her in the most disturbing ways. Her stomach tightened with butterflies. How strange the wealthy world was, were all men this good looking?

"I wish I could stay up," she said, faking a yawn. "Really I do, but I haven't gotten enough sleep in last couple of days, so if you'll excuse me."

"I understand. But at least let me walk you to your room."

Hitsugaya trailed behind her up the stairs, watching the way her hips swayed and how her night gown clung to her skin outlining the curves of her body that Hitsugaya didn't think was possible on a girl as thin as her. His body instantly growing hot and hard. Clenching his teeth in an effort to ignore the burning in himself, he forced himself to look elsewhere when Hinamori twisted around to face him when they stopped at her door but they were too close to each other.

Quickly, Hinamori stepped away from him and tried to ignore how good he smelled or how he probably tasted better.

"Why are you so afraid of me?" Hitsugaya asked as the space between them widened.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Every time I come near you, you cringe."

He reached out to brush her arm, testing when she sidestepped him as she grabbed onto the doorknob of her bedroom.

"You're cringing." He said pointedly as he withdrew his hand.

"I'm not cringing," Hinamori insisted.

He stepped forward before dipping his head down to her neck so close that she could feel his breath falling against her skin, smell the warm clean scent of him.

"If there's nothing that scares you then is it something else?"

A shiver went over her.

"No." She leaned back ever so slightly and met his gaze.

Pressing her back against the door now as he trapped her with his hands on each side of her head. He moved one had to brush her hairline, cheek to lips and jaw line. She hissed at him with a glare.

"Stop it." She snapped.

"Does this bother you?" he asked. Running his hand through her hair.

"Stop it."

"Or this."

Hitsugaya placed his hands on her waist and brought her right up against his steely chest before wrapping her in a warm hug. Her head swam from the tender embrace.

"Please." Hinamori pushed him away; he froze from the sight of tears as she opened her door and slammed it shut in his face. She didn't want him to see her tears.

"Hinamori," he said, gently twisting the door open.

She was lying on her stomach against the queen size mattress. Hitsugaya saw her weeping as if her heart had been broken. It made him uncomfortable that he hurt her. He slowly walked towards her. Touched her shoulder before he moved away.

"I'm sorry." He whispered against the dark. "I didn't know I'd upset you."

Sure enough, she felt the mattress dip under his weight and instant later. Warm, strong hands stroked her hair. Hinamori lifted herself on her arms, she looked up at him and he caught the dark, angry look on her face that he took an involuntary step backward.

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to tease you"

Hinamori looked away from him. "What do you want from me, Hitsugaya? Why do you want me to stay?"

Hitsugaya didn't know the answer to that as Hinamori stared at him with no expression on her face whatsoever.

"I won't be toyed with, forced to play your game, the next time a man tries to get intimate with me. I want more than just his necessary parts involved. I want his heart."

Flinching as if she's slapped him across the face, he straightened.

"Hinamori, I promise you _that _was not my intention with you and it never will be."

His words stung her.

The memories of her past flashed in front of her and she closed her eyes and shook her head. She didn't want someone who would disregard her pain and continue to use her body for his pleasure as if she didn't matter. As if she were nothing more than an emotional doll designed to fulfill a man's desires only to take her pride away. And she wasn't about to let anyone to treat her like that.

Never again.

**Authors Note: Holly green guacamole! I update and then BAM the reviews are already up! Special thanks to all those who are reviewing and supporting! And thanks to _Pinka, realityfling18, Alice of the Vanguard_ and last but not least one _ unformidable trust_ for the alerts! I look forward to seeing you all in my future updates! I'll update when I get _30+ reviews! _**


	4. All It Takes Is Time

Chapter 4

The next morning, Hinamori took a long, hot bath. What was it about Hitsugaya that made her blood boil? Even now she could feel the heat of his body on hers.

His lips…

_Stop it! Stop it!_

_You know you want him._

_I can't._

_Please?_

_Shush, other self. Go away._

She didn't know. She just wanted something in her life that made her look forward to the future. Something that made her happy the way her father had always made her mother so happy. She wouldn't let herself be used.

She couldn't remember a time in her life when her mother hadn't been smiling, her father gently teasing. Everywhere they went; they held hands like teenagers and kissed when they thought no one was watching.

But she had seen.

She wanted that kind of love too. But for some reason, she never found a man who took her breath away. _Until yesterday. _Her parents' deaths had robbed her of everything she ever had. Her security, hope and the most important feelings of love and emotional support. She rinsed herself off before stepping out of the tub to towel herself dry. Hinamori left the bathroom and went to dress.

Looking around the room, her gaze fell to the bed. She blinked.

Paused at the door, Hinamori stared back at Hitsugaya as he gazed back at her from her bed. Her heart pounded, terrified and shaking she took three tentative steps back into the bathroom, ready to run if he came over to her. Hitsugaya took a deep, ragged breath then sat up slowly. He didn't look at her as he was focused somewhere past her shoulder.

"What do you want?"

Hitsugaya ground his teeth at her question. As he was now examining the towel that clung to her damp body but what he wanted was beyond his ability to claim, things he dared not to name because naming them would break his control.

"I want forgiveness."

Hinamori flinched at the heartfelt words.

"You've already apologized," she said, her voice cold as she wrapped her arms around herself. She looked up at him and caught the disbelief in his eyes.

"I won't follow orders of someone I don't know."

He fell silent.

Catching the dark, angry look on his face. "What?"

"What?" he shot back. Hinamori frowned.

Looking greatly peeved, Hitsugaya leaned his head back and gave a frustrated sigh as if he were ready to scream. Why was Hinamori doing this? Why did she have to treat him like another perverted bastard?

"Damn royalty," he breathed. "And damn me."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Nothing. Sorry I was talking to myself."

Hinamori did a double take as Hitsugaya jumped off the bed and stopped by the hallway wearing a plain black kimono. Drawing her breath in sharply between her teeth, she had to admit he looked good in that.

"You know," He said, looking at her over his shoulder. "I'd love to take you out, show you the scenery. Stubborn or not, I can't imagine why you'd want to stay indoors all day."

Matsumoto passed by the room.

"Taichou, give the girl a break."

"That's what I'm trying to do."

"Fine," Hinamori said, giving in. "Okay, Hitsugaya-sama," he scowled at her formal title. "What awful scheme do you want to commit today?"

"I just want to take you out in public. So just change."

What made Hitsugaya different from other men? Hinamori didn't know for sure. A pure heart world populated by selfish ones, she'd never thought to encounter anyone like him.

Hitsugaya stared at Hinamori, his mind whirling as she descended the stairs in a blue kimono, her hair was put up in a natural clothed bun. Her lips painted in a luscious red and her face still held its natural beauty underneath a pale chalk paste. His smile sent her mind spinning. He waited for her at the bottom of the steps before taking her hand to brush his lips against her skin.

For once she rolled her eyes, "You're trying to wow me, aren't you?"

"Perhaps but I rather like the look of a blush seeping on your cheeks."

Hinamori stared at the strength of his tense, tanned hand holding hers. The way the veins stood out to emphasize the power and beauty of them. Like the rest of him, pure attraction.

Obviously, when they arrived at the closest restaurant the hostess called them to be seated.

"Hitsugaya-sama, if you'll please take a seat."

"Actually Sakura, I'd like a private table for two."

Hinamori didn't miss him slip the extra tip before she swung her his like nobody's business. Hinamori rolled her eyes when she turned a pair of goo-goo eyes at Hitsugaya and smiled widely leading him to a back booth.

"What would you like to order?"

Hinamori was about to ask for menu's when Hitsugaya said "The usual."

"Your server will come right over to you."

"There's no need actually just bring the food."

The hostess left the two before Hinamori asked him. "Am I invisible?"

He laid his arm across the table, taking her hand. "Beauty is never invisible."

She pulled her hand away then all the food came in almost less than a half in hour. Time passed as they talked through lunch. Their refill of tea and noodles came.

Hinamori grabbed a damp towel to reach for the tea pot before part of her hand brushed against the bowl of hot Ramen noodles. She dropped the towel and hissed.

In the next moment, Hitsugaya was knelt by her side; he grimaced as he took her hand in his and examined the burn. "I should have warned you," running his fingers across the red line that made its way along her wrist. "I didn't think it'd contact, sorry."

Hitsugaya kissed her wrist. In spite of the burning sensation, it felt good, real good.

"I think I'll handle the hot dishes from now on," he said before he called for a cup of ice water. She frowned at him when he wouldn't let her touch her utensils. "You can't eat with your left hand," he said before his lithe, toned body move around her, she felt his power, his strength. It left her breathless and unsure. What was it about Hitsugaya that made her feel so content, safe and hot?

"Okay," he breathed in her ear, sending electric waves through her. He picked up her hand slipping his fingers through hers and together they held her utensils. She opened her mouth and he placed the noodles on her tongue. As they slid the chopsticks back out, between her lips.

Hitsugaya's heart pounded in a way that told him to move away from her. He couldn't let go right now. He didn't know how as he continued to feed her, when she swallowed the next bite, she reached for a piece of bread with her good hand, letting him nip her fingers when she placed it in his mouth.

"Still hungry?" he whispered against her fingers.

"Yes," she breathed, not really talking about food but the way her body wanted his. They stayed like that, feeding each other until a waitress tapped on the paper doors.

Hinamori moved off his lap before their server presented them with the bill.

They walked to the entrance greeted by rain.

"Would you excuse me for a moment, I need to go to the ladies room."

After she exited the washroom, she bumped into someone. The gentleman turned around. She froze.

"Hinamori Momo from Suyatsu Tea shop?"

"Hello, Takashi-kun," she said coldly.

At that moment, she could have killed Chihiro for giving out her name.

Every man gave her the creeps.

"What are you doing here, Momo? You're not lost, are you? I could take you-"

"Hinamori?"

She jumped at Hitsugaya's voice behind her. He stared at her with a curious look that would have been funny if she had not been terrified. Hinamori swept her eyes between Hitsugaya and Takashi.

Inwardly, she cringed when the men locked eyes. This was going to get ugly and the last thing she wanted was a fight over her. She placed her hand on Hitsugaya's chest, pushing him back. He refused to move.

"Hitsugaya," she said urgently. "We need to get back."

He didn't budge.

It was until Takashi grabbed Hinamori's wrist, "You owe me a performance," she yelped then Hitsugaya punched the man in the jaw.

Hinamori's eyes widened. She didn't know what startled her most, Hitsugaya's sudden attack on one of her previous customers or their curses. With no hesitation, she pushed him towards the door and they ran out into the downpour. They were dripping wet and breathless when they reached an abandoned shrine.

Looking up, Hinamori caught the frown on Hitsugaya's face, the hardness to his jaw his teeth clenching and the trouble in his eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Tell me something," he said quietly. "I want to know the whole story of how you became a geisha and what happened during your whole youth years."

He saw the way her eyes flickered in fear, hiding again but he refused to let her run. It was time he understood exactly what her darkest secret was.

"Hitsugaya-sama,-"

"Don't refer to me with that title,"

"You are asking something that's too much for me to handle."

He frowned. "You're still a virgin?"

He saw the embarrassment in her eyes as she dropped her shamed gaze to the puddles of water. "I don't have experience with men in that social situation."

"Have you been raped?"

"Yes and no," she whispered. "Not exactly but I've escaped from those experiences."

His confusion dispelled his anger. "Then what do you fear?"

"I fear physical pain; I've been taken advantage of after the death of my parents," she said, her voice filled with acrimony. Hitsugaya saw her hand shaking. Covering it with his, he gently stroked the backs of her knuckles with his thumb. Rage, dark and deadly, descended on him. He'd known such men personally. And he could never stand them.

"I felt so used," Hinamori whispered. The agony in her eyes scorched him. "I don't want to feel like that ever again." She covered her face with one hand but not before he saw the child in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Hinamori," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. "I promise I won't scare you ever again." Hitsugaya held her tightly, and leaned his cheek against the top of her hair. The soft, feminine scent of peach surrounded him. Hinamori was a good woman with a pure heart; he refused to take advantage of it, how guilty he felt.

"I'll protect you," he said softly. Hinamori looked up at him in stunned surprise. He swallowed before he spoke again. "I promise you, I won't let you spill one drop of blood."

In her life, she seldom knew kindness or goodness in a man, only those who tried to rape her at any time and Hinamori would never let those memories go. Despite her current fear, she reached up and brushed a gentle hand across Hitsugaya's face. He stared at her, she was so beautiful, and the hope in her eyes amazed him.

Suddenly, she fell away from his hold. "Have you ever let anyone close to you, Hitsugaya?"

"What?" he was confused.

"You remind me of those men who'd say '_I just want to take care of you,'_"

Hitsugaya's guilt swept over him again as she didn't believe him. But he wouldn't give up. Somehow he would find a way to reach her. To make her want to believe in trust. He stepped back into the rain, throwing his head back letting the water kiss his skin. Hinamori watch him with curiosity, and then she saw the child in him as he spread his arms out smiling as the rain came down harder.

As if her body had a mind of its own, she stepped forward joining him in the drizzle, her legs moved on their own, her arms pulled by invisible strings then she was dancing in a circle around him. Instantly, Hitsugaya's thoughts vanished. His eyes focused on her like a hungry predator that just found its next meal. Hinamori closed her eyes, a heated wave skipped up her spine as she felt his eyes watching her during this mesmerising dance. She lost her concentration when she slipped and then she realized that Hitsugaya was holding her, supporting her weight without effort.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes," she whispered. "Thank you."

Her heart quickened at the sudden warmth of his body next to hers. Worse, he draped one long, muscular arm over her waist, twisting her around before taking hold of her hand. He slide his hand to her lower back before placing her other hand on his shoulder, she recognized this stance.

"Hitsugaya…" she said in warning.

"Dance with me."

Hinamori obeyed, following his lead. Stepping back when he stepped forward, letting him turn and twist her in his arms in a silent waltz. Then she felt the ground lift away from her feet when his hands grabbed her waist and he lifted her in the air with a last spin before settling her in his arms, curling her against his chest.

He smiled with her in his arms, "I just want to take care of you."

His lips brushed against her forehead, "It's about time you stopped living in the past," she believed him.

And he was here for her.

**Authors Note: So, oh-my-god sorry for the late updates guys but I can only like update on the weekends that's pretty much all I can do unless I can find free time during my weekdays but either than that it's Saturday or Sundays. Anywho thanks to inuyashalover12345, momo hitsugaya, x-ichirin-no-hana-x for their alerts! Anywho this story won't be updated as frequently but I'll try and update as soon as I can when I get 48+ reviews! Thanks to everyone for their patience and support hope to see you in my continuing updates!  
**


	5. All The Insecurities

Chapter 5

Walking along the endless halls of the mansion, Hinamori overlooked the portraits of people she didn't recognize before she bumped into a desk, a picture frame clattered to the carpeting. She grasped the black frame before flipping the portrait over, she blinked in wonder. The frame held an old faded and ripped picture of a family that Hinamori assumed was Hitsugaya as a child because two of the four adults were standing behind a white haired boy with aquamarine eyes who both had similar traits to him. As for the other two, a woman smiled lovely as she was wrapped in her husband's arms. Blindly she ran a finger of the picture picking up speckles of dust on her fingertip.

"You should be careful with that," she jumped at the sound of Ichigo's voice halfway down the hall. "Toushiro is very fond of that photograph."

Hinamori placed it back down with one last longing look. "If it's so precious to him why does he keep it here?"

Ichigo was by her side now, "This," he pointed to a closed door, "was his parent's room and this," he spread his arms out gesturing to the whole house, "was made by his father so all in all this is his parent's house so it's by here for a reason."

Hinamori placed hand on the doorknob, twisting it slightly only to find it wouldn't budge. She frowned. "Why is it locked?"

Ichigo shrugged, "It's not something I was ever told."

"His parents, where are they?"

Ichigo smiled, "You're a talkative one aren't you?"

She glared at him, "Answer the question, Kurosaki-san."

"It's not in his favour to answer a question that doesn't concern him."

They turned towards Hitsugaya who was leaning against his bedroom door with his arms folded across his chest. Hinamori caught the slight irritation in his gaze.

"I thought Rangiku-san said it was late." Hinamori mumbled, throwing her gaze out into the darkness. "And it's raining."

They met Matsumoto at Hinamori's room.

"Fit her into something casual," Hitsugaya ordered.

"Not too light," Ichigo added, "It's raining."

Without another word they guys walked away disappearing around the corners in opposite directions. Hinamori gasped as Matsumoto tightened back straps of a white dress before zipping the side. She didn't understand how women of the wealthy could wear such tight dresses, probably because they uplifted their bosoms. Matsumoto added a black jacket over the sleeveless top and helped Hinamori slip on a multiple strapped two-inch. Matsumoto instructed her to meet the rest of the men in the main hall before she herself slipped away towards her room.

The clacking of her heels against the polished floors turned the attention of the men away from their quiet bickering. Renji did a long low whistle.

"Looking good, Momo."

Hinamori blushed, "Thanks?"

They all chuckled and before everything could get anymore awkward, Matsumoto ascended the steps in a black ruffled rimmed red dress that flowed around her legs. She grabbed Hinamori by the elbow dragging her towards the door, "Let's go lady and gentlemen."

Hinamori felt so out of place as the carriage rode them closer and closer to their destination wherever it was as the others chatted away. The darkness seemed a little inviting in her own exiled world. Someone tapped her shoulder. "Why so glum?"

"Hm?" she turned her head to where Kira sat by her.

"You seem a little out in space."

"No, it's just I feel a little-"

"Nervous?"

"I was going to say outcast but that works to."

Kira gave her an understanding smile and something in his eyes told her that she was safe and that it'd take time to get used to them. Despite this she still ignored them and disappeared to her own lonely daydream.

Her fear went overboard when they entered a ballroom full of unknown people due to the fact that they were all wearing masks but either way she knew no one was familiar to her. A lump formed in her throat and it became suddenly difficult to breath. Beside her Matsumoto covered her face with a silver jewelled Lorgnette mask followed by Renji, and Ichigo who slipped on their Libellula Black masks. Meanwhile Hinamori pivoted on her foot only to bump into Hitsugaya who held her by the shoulders; she eyes were frantic with fright.

"It's okay, Hinamori," he squeezed her shoulders, "I explained that my lifestyle is different from yours."

"And it involves _this_?" her voice meant to sound angry but it shook. He grabbed her hand and placed a feathered sparkly purplish pink mask in her palm before folding her fingers over the rough jewelled surface. He winked at her astonished face before putting on his own mask that was similar to every other male in the room.

"It's a party we do this all the time whenever we get the chance."

"_All _the time?" Hinamori choked.

Hitsugaya grabbed her hand and placed his hand in position on her body while she hesitantly did the same, "Just remember what my companions taught you."

In for moments they were circling, swaying and twisting with the rest of the crowd. Even under his mask, she could see the slight smile in his eyes. "See it's easy."

Without breaking stride, Renji took Hitsugaya's place and then they were spinning while Hitsugaya greeted someone who he was familiar with. In the distance she saw Matsumoto twirling with Kira. Renji caught her attention when he leaned into her.

"Listen closely, Momo. Hitsugaya-taichou would've explained this earlier to you if it hadn't slipped his mind, I presume. Anyways if at any time you slip away or lose sight of me, him or the rest of the gang. You must _never _give out your name, do you remember the rules that Yumichika told you?"

Hinamori nodded. "At a mask ball it is common for one to not state their name at any moment."

"Good, you better keep that in mind. See you around."

Renji spun away from her and was partnered with another when Kira broke her concentration, stepping on him but she didn't apologize instead she stopped to excuse herself. Kira watched as she tripped through the moving crowd into the empty corridors.

The irritation of the strap of the mask was finally getting to her as she looked out into the stillness of the night letting the coldness bite her skin when she decided to take it off but stopped when someone spoke up behind her.

"You'll get sick if you stand out there too long."

She turned around greeted by a man who resembled many of the others in the ballroom. But somehow her heart jumped when he approached her, she stepped back.

"I don't think I recognize you."

"I don't live in this area."

The man's smile made her cheeks flush, "May I ask who you are?"

"H-" she paused, "I'm sorry but isn't the etiquette here to not ask for identities?"

"That's right; it's been a while since I've attended a mask ball, I've been too busy."

Hinamori turned away from him, "I guess."

She turned back around when the music in the distance shifted along with his shadow, he extended a hand, "May I have this dance?"

She hesitated but before she could answer, the clacking of heels interrupted them.

"Peach girl, is that you?!"

_Oh no. _

Hinamori turned and was surprised that Rukia was totally oblivious to the custom of this event.

"I see you have a friend here." Hinamori almost forgot about the man beside her that she started to turn red from Rukia's nickname. He touched her shoulder lightly.

"Before you go, I'll leave you with something," he leaned down and whispered something in her ear before giving her a light shove towards Rukia still standing by the double doors.

Rukia being all rude and new grabbed her hand and began dragging her friend away but before Hinamori could say good-bye to the man, he had already gone. Rukia shoved her into the girl's washroom and began spilling her heart out.

"Oh my god, Momo you won't believe what just happened but I met this really cute or should I say totally gorgeous guy…well we kind of already met but he asked me to the ball so I couldn't really back down so here we were dancing in all when I think he was going to totally kiss me!"

Hinamori didn't blink for a moment, "Kuchiki-san what and how did you get in here?!"

Rukia frowned, "I told you I was invited."

"But it's against the rules for someone like you to be here, you could get punished!"

"When you say someone like me, you mean of _non_-royalty right? Well okay Momo I am sorry that I came all this way to see you but the others really miss you but apparently you don't feel the same way."

"That's not what I meant-"

Rukia rolled her eyes, "As if-"

"Who invited you anyway?"

Hinamori was met by the old mischievous smile of her.

"Kurosaki?!" Hitsugaya grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, "Where is she?"

Ichigo raised his hands in surrender, "Hey, I wasn't the last one with her."

Ikkaku scoffed, "You were supposed to be watching her."

"Actually we all were supposed to," Renji mumbled.

Matsumoto came running down towards them, the sound of her heels echoed off the wall. "Taichou, this is bad!"

Just when Kira came running from the opposite direction, "The Kuro-Burado Clan is here!"

Hitsugaya clenched it teeth, "Shit."

Ichigo shrugged Hitsugaya's hand off, "What do we do now, Toushiro?"

"There's only one thing we can do," everyone circled around him, "We avoid them because right now Hinamori is out top priority. Find her!"

"Right!"

It didn't take long before Matsumoto collide straight into her and Rukia and they fell to the floor, "Found her!" she yelled. Before Rukia or Hinamori could ask anything, Ichigo hauled them to their feet and then everyone was running back into the night. It wasn't until they located their carriage that Rukia froze.

"Kuchiki-san what are you doing?"

"Momo, I can't go in _there _are you crazy?"

They heard Hitsugaya yelling at her. Hinamori shook her head. "I'm sorry but I have to go."

They hugged only momentarily before Ichigo tugged her away but not before he threw Rukia an apologetic look. The ride on the way back was more hectic since everyone wouldn't stop concentrating into the darkness that Hinamori almost lost her mind but it wasn't until they arrived at the mansion that she lost it.

"Okay, what-the-hell? We were all having a great time and then bam you're all acting like crazy people. Am I missing something here?!" she threw her hands up in the air while everyone just started at her. They didn't answer as she glared at them.

"It doesn't concern you." Hitsugaya sounded awfully cold towards her for once; she walked forward so that they were close enough to feel the heat radiating from their bodies.

"Tell me now or-"

She felt the slightest pressure behind her until she toppled into Hitsugaya's arms. He just looked at her sleeping face, emotions wiped away from his features even when he passed her body to Matsumoto.

"Make sure she doesn't wake up before sun rise," he said before pivoting back out the doors into the dark downpour.

**Authors Note: Well I'll be getting more into depth of the whole situation soon, sorry for the inconveience! Anywho special thanks to _Illusions of Ivy_,_ sma4ever_, ****and_ Bullet2tm_ for their alerts! And of course to all those who've reviewed, I look forward to all your continuing support! I'll update when I get _61+ reviews! _**


	6. What Some Don't See

Chapter 6

Hinamori awoke with the softest pressure resting against her cheek, as her senses slowly formed its way into her head; her eyes snapped open followed by her upper body. She gasped into the darkness, adjusting her eyes to the shadows of her bedroom before shaking her hair out of her face. The clocked read _4:05 _before changing to _4:06_.

Hinamori snapped her focus on the dark figure leaning against her door jam.

"How are you feeling, Momo?"

It was Matsumoto.

She shook her head to clear the fuzziness in the back of her brain, "I-I feel…my head hurts," her fingers felt cold against the burning of her forehead, she felt a fever coming on. But when the moonlight filled the room, Hinamori watched Matsumoto's face, how it transformed when she was irritated or thinking. The long ripples of her hair that always framed her face to flow around her shoulders was ruffled making her expression look more severe, all the angles of her cheekbones hollowing out. She looked like a different person.

"Rangiku-san."

"What?" Matsumoto's voice was more strained than her expression.

"Why are you here?" she winced against the pain fogging her mind, "Is there something-"

"No," Matsumoto snapped, "It's nothing, nothing's wrong."

And Hinamori didn't believe her at that moment, and began feeling the anger rise in her as Matsumoto assumed that she was incapable of figuring what was actually going on. So she stared back, just as hard. Neither of them said anything.

Then the sound of static filled the room as the clouds drifted over the moon, suddenly jarring Hinamori where she sat.

"Taichou…What? Now? I'll be right out, sure. See you in a minute."

Matsumoto unclipped the earpiece. "I have to go for a few minutes but stay where you are, understood?"

"Fine," Hinamori said as she laid down on her bed, turning her back to her. "But our conversation is not over."

Matsumoto started to leave, then stopped in the doorway and said in a low voice, "fine."

But she lingered there thinking, as an owl's shadow appeared in the window, where Hinamori had her eyes on so she could see the shape of its feathery chest and the sharpness of its beak. Matsumoto slipped out of the doorway and down the hall. When Hinamori turned back over, in the sudden silence both the owl and the strawberry blonde were gone.

Matsumoto met Hitsugaya by the prickle bushes at the end of the path where it lead up to the dark mansion. They stood talking for a good five minutes. Actually Matsumoto talked, standing there nervously in black uniform where her leader just listened, nodding his head. From across the front lawn, she could see the dark outline of Renji standing, watching them as well.

At four-fifty, Hitsugaya walked Matsumoto to the door, standing on the stoop with her, his arms crossed against his chest. A few minutes later they saw the figures of Yumichika and Ikkaku as they crossed back to the house, when Kira appeared from the forest behind them.

"They either didn't find us or won't be coming, tonight." Kira said.

Hitsugaya took a deep breath but sighed, "Not now, no. But they will, later. When their target is within reach."

"So, about what happened yesterday," Ikkaku said quietly, still scanning the horizon that was now breaking into dawn. "The woman won't just let it go, even if we thought we were helping her."

"I know," the white haired prodigy said. But it was clear; by the pure fact of not being attacked, they'd escaped the worst of the enemy's wrath. Without her knowing it, Hinamori had been saved, again.

The sunlight was slowly sweeping over the town when Hinamori heard something _ping _off her bedroom window. She lay in bed, listening to pebble after pebble bounce off until she finally went and looked out. She could barely see Rukia in the shadows of the side yard, but she knew she was there.

"Momo!" she heard Rukia whisper as she stepped closer to the house, craning her neck. Just when another figure crept up behind her, silent, and tapped her on the shoulder just as she was about to launch another rock; she jerked to face Ichigo, not quite completing the throw, so it rained back down him, bouncing off his head and landing between them on the ground.

"God," Rukia said, all flustered. She almost jumped out of her skin. "Where did you come from?"

"Why are you trespassing private property and breaking Momo's window?"

"I'm not. I just need to talk to her."

"But she's not home." He lied.

"I didn't know that," she said, "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry,"

Hinamori couldn't believe her old friend was here, in the yard outside her window, like some kind of ghost she'd conjured up with wished thinking and she was talking to Ichigo. But there they were grinning at each other, like this was not unusual or amazing.

"What happened to you yesterday?" she asked him.

"When?"

"I thought you were at that dance."

"I was there," he said, trying to sound casual all the while still being aware of his surrounding.

"I didn't see you." Rukia said. "I was looking for you, and waiting, and you stood me up-"

"Oh," he said confidently, "but that's a lie."

She just looked at him. Meanwhile a knock made Hinamori step away from the window draining out their conversation, Hitsugaya stuck his head in, looking around until Hinamori stepped into the brightness of the light seeping through the window.

"Hi," she called out, startling him, who jerked to the side and banged his head on the door. "It's just me."

"Hinamori?" he stepped in, rubbing his head.

"I was looking for something," she said suddenly.

Hitsugaya was still looking around. "By the window?"

"Yes," she said, and the lies rolled out of her, on and on all the while in her peripheral vision through the window, her two friends were embracing affectionately. And as Ichigo leaned in to kiss Rukia, Hinamori thought of nothing but how unbelievable it was that all this was happening, outside her window, of all places with Hitsugaya across the room.

"Hinamori, are you listening to me?" Hitsugaya's voice drained out the voices in her mind, she looked over at him. "Did you say something?"

"I asked you if you knew where Kurosaki was?" he crossed his arms over his chest, just when Rukia's voice came into ear shot once again.

"I should go," She said, kissing Ichigo again.

"Wait-" he said as she pulled away, they were still holding hands until he had to let go of it. "Where are you going?"

"Ichigo!" They heard a voice yell from inside, "Where are you?"

"Bye Ichigo," Rukia whispered, smiling at him as she slipped easily around the side of the house, disappearing into the shadows of the backyard. Ichigo leaned around the corner, watching her as she hopped over the side gate. His face was stony, solemn, as he watched her retreating figure. He couldn't see what Hinamori saw from her window: her old friend as she was rounding the corner, disappearing from sight, she turned around and lifted her hand, waving at her, as if she knew even without turning back that Hinamori'd be there in the window, watching her go.

Hinamori was halfway down the stairs tailed by Hitsugaya who was throwing unheard questions when Ichigo and Renji came through the door.

"Kurosaki-san, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Okay," he said, naturally without question.

The two swept past everyone who had gathered on the steps as Hinamori followed him down a hallway, past several doors, to his own. "Down here," he said, leading her around the corner. He pulled a key out of his pocket, unlocked the door, and reached in to turn on a light. Then he stood, holding it, waiting for her. "Well come on," he said, beckoning her, "we haven't got all day."

The room itself was huge, painted a faded green; there was a single bed, neatly made, next to it a large television and a dresser and a desk that looked brand new. Beyond another door on the opposite wall was his bathroom.

"This is your room?" she asked, taking a few steps to the TV to get a better look at what was to it. It looked like a photograph.

"Yeah." He said, opening the door, just a crack, then peeked out and shut it again. "Wait here," he said. "I'll be right back."

Hinamori sat on his bed, facing the television, and leaned forward to get a good look at the photograph. She thought of how familiar it looked, and the setting before it finally hit: it was Rukia at the tea shop, wearing a greenish-blue kimono with dandelions holding a serving tray.

Hinamori pulled the picture off the television, turning it over. She was still holding it when Ichigo came back in, carrying two glasses and a plate of Yakisoba.

"Hey," he said, "I hope you're hungry because this is all that's left of last night's dinner."

"Where did you get this?" she asked him, holding up the picture while reading the calligraphy on the back. _Thank you for everything. _

He just looked at her, and Hinamori swore she saw him blush, even if only for a second. "Somewhere."

"Where?" It wouldn't have surprised her to go back to the tea shop and find that frame on Rukia's night table empty, everything else untouched and in its proper place. Ichigo seemed slick.

"Somewhere," he said again, handing her a glass of water and the plate.

"Where, Kurosaki- san?" she said, "Please?"

"Rukia. I took it – borrowed it- from her. It was stuck to her mirror."

"Oh," Hinamori said as she flipped it over again. "Does she know?"

"Yeah," he said, popping something small and doughy into his mouth and not looking at her.

"Well," Hinamori said, sticking the photograph back onto his television. "I'm glad she's found someone like you."

Downstairs someone started playing the piano. "I saw you two today, outside my window." Ichigo didn't say anything. "It's wrong," she continued, standing up. "And you know it." He closed his eyes, burying his face into his hands.

"I won't tell them," Hinamori whispered, "It's against the rules for someone of royalty to be with another that is not but I won't tell anyone."

"Let's just not talk about it anymore," he said, sighing, really watching her for the smallest flicker of wavering strength on her words, "But know that I'm trusting you, Momo. Don't make me regret it."

And suddenly, it was so hard to keep looking at him.

"Okay," she said, "You can trust me."

"Okay," he said quietly, still watching her and Hinamori let him break his gaze first.

As Hinamori got dressed to go out that night she stood in front of the mirror, carefully studying her face. She blocked out all the things around her reflection, the bed, and pictures of her days back in the tea shop, markers of importance moments in her life. She snuck of to her balcony and climbed down the tree where Ichigo was waiting for her. They made a deal, if she brought him to Rukia then he'd tell her the details of what he knew on her being here, but for some reason they felt guilty about it.

"Take this," Ichigo said to her when they met, stuffing something into her hand. She opened her hand and saw her fan tanto and frowned.

"Rangiku found it in your kimono." Ichigo said, "Bring it with you."

They looked up at the dark house. They had about just an hour left before midnight until Hitsugaya came back from wherever he disappeared to.

"Let's go," he said to her and smiled, sweeping across the backyard to the gate and what came ahead.

**Authors Note: Sorry for the long update and the no Hitsuhina moments in this chapter but I swear everything will be clearing up in the next few chapters or so plus I am still trying to work around the whole lemon scenario thing. Anywho I'll update once I get _80+ reviews_! Thank you for your support everyone and special thanks goes to _lovedreamgrl_, _xXKura-SamaXx_, _Fourpeg_, _starlightscribe_, _Kaishi-chan_, _AgonizingBordem_, _ailoveyou_, and _ThexWhitexPheonix_ for their alerts! Thanks guys! **


	7. I'll Tell You

Chapter 7

Rukia was ironically sitting on the front steps when they pulled up. It was late in the night, so dark, and all up and down the streets, lights were on in the shops or houses, no one walking. Ichigo got out of the carriage and walked across the street, the only light was coming from the kitchen and spilling out into the empty streets.

Rukia looked up from the ground when Ichigo's shadow fell over her.

"What'd you do?" he asked.

"Excuse me?"

"What'd you do?" he said again, then gestured to the night. "It's past midnight and your sitting on the curb when you're supposed to be asleep, you must have gotten punished."

"Did not," she said. "I am just not tired, that's all."

"Oh, sure," he said slowly, faking suspicion. When Hinamori crept up on them, she seemed frightened as she waved sheepishly. Rukia stared back at her.

"You're here too?"

"Yeah," she said, "but I'm not supposed to be."

"You," Ichigo said, taking the empty space beside Rukia, "are such a liar."

"I am not," Hinamori said. "Well not usually. But he would have freaked out if he couldn't see you."

Rukia shifted awkwardly beside him. "This is a bad idea," she said. "You guys shouldn't have come."

"Why-"

"Hinamori Momo?!" someone shrieked silently from the side of the shop and they turned to see Nanao and Inoue shuffling into the light. Inoue was the first to come up and throw her arms around her old friend. Inoue smelled like hair spray and bubble bath. Nanao had tears forming in her eyes as she looked at the sight of her old friend. "So much has changed ever since you left."

Hinamori looked at Nanao, who was now studying the pavement, and said, "I'm sorry, I really am."

"Right," Nanao whispered in disbelief, she went back to her book and opened the front door, closing it after her. Bad timing. Chihori was waiting for the girls inside, in the kitchen. In an even voice she told Nanao. "It's past curfew and where's Rukia-chan?"

"She's-" Inoue said stepping in beside her four-eye friend, revving up an excuse, unsuccessfully before her manager stepped out of the kitchen, holding a dishtowel. Her face had taken on that pointy, angular look, a dead giveaway that someone was in trouble.

"She's hasn't been home for two days," Chihori said smoothly, folding the towel. "Or is it that you happen to know where she is?"

In the strange, uneasy silence they all heard the low sniffling of someone crying, everyone froze. Not before Chihori brushed past her workers sliding the door open, she looked confused as she studied the couple on the steps, the way Rukia's head rested on his shoulder, his hand on her knee. Hinamori completely unrecognizable across the street.

Under Rukia's breath she asked Ichigo to leave before she wiped her hand across her face before standing. She faced her manager, opened her mouth but closed it.

"I would think very hard before answering if I were you," Chihori's voice still even and calm. "Because if you lie to me, your punishment will only be worse."

Busted. There was nothing anyone could do. Everyone swallowed hard.

"I cannot _believe_ what I'm seeing," she looked at Ichigo. "Not to mention," she went on, "You of all people running around town with a nobleman you don't know, and Kurosaki-sama of all people should know better than to be with a woman like this."

"Yes, I do," he snapped. "I know _exactly _what I'm doing because-"

"Don't say it!" Rukia yelled. "We've both done enough immeasurable damage to the law, enough as it is."

"But…"

"Go. Now." She was shaking, she was so scared. There'd been the strange uneasiness all summer ever since she met him, the rippling of temptation- but this was the real deal, the law. And she didn't even know half of it yet.

"Rukia…" Ichigo said, in the dim lighting, and as she turned to him he saw her face was streaked with tears. For a minute he didn't know what to do. He thought about the picture taped to his television, of her just weeks ago, her expression so bright. And Hinamori thought of what she had done all the million times she'd cried to her friends, collapsing at even the slightest wounding of her heart or pride.

So Ichigo reached over and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her, and held his lover close, returning so many feelings all at once. Everyone stood there for a long time, with the shop looming over them as Ichigo stood there with Rukia, feeling her shoulders shake under his hands. He had no idea what to do or what came next as she glanced at Hinamori standing across the street by their carriage. All he knew was that Rukia needed him and he was here. And for now, that was about the best he could do, for the very last time.

Ichigo and Hinamori almost left when Rukia went up to her room and straight to the window, grabbing a bundle of envelopes and threw them out the window into Ichigo's open arms. He stood there staring back up at her standing at the window, watching them; he was hesitant but couldn't help but smile.

"Say you'll come back." Rukia sounded tired now, almost irritated. "Promise"

Ichigo was quiet then and looked down at the package of envelopes in his hands, "I'll write to you," he said instead. "I promise."

"Kurosaki-san," Hinamori said from behind him, pulling him, "Hitsugaya-sama will be back soon."

"No problem." He started stepping backwards. "I know."

But suddenly his earpiece blinked, someone was calling him. "Yeah?"

"Watch out," Renji said quickly, whispering, "you're busted. But Hitsugaya-taichou doesn't understand why you're there with Momo."

"What?"

"Momo's old manager called. Said you were there."

"I know," Ichigo said, studying some spot over his head, "she just wanted to help me out."

"It doesn't matter; better get your ass back fast, gotta go." Renji said, disconnecting quickly. Ichigo started to back away from the tea shop, toward the carriage, his eyes still on Rukia's empty window. There must have been some giveaway in what he was thinking because suddenly his face changed and Hinamori could tell that he wasn't thinking about Rukia anymore. They could see Rukia in her room when Chihori burst in, her finger already pointing, her voice meaning business, but they only saw Rukia, trying to explain herself in the candlelight before Chihori reached and yanked at the shades, making it fall crooked, sideways and shutting them out.

"Something wrong?" Hinamori asked, stating the obvious.

"I don't know," Ichigo said slowly. He pushed her into the carriage, pretending not to hear her, turning away to keep his thoughts to himself. "I just don't know."

Hinamori had to sit and wait for her punishment. She could hear everyone conferring, Ichigo's voice low and calm, Matsumoto's occasionally bouncing off the walls, peaking and plummeting. After and hour everyone came upstairs, Matsumoto stood in front of the Geisha, hands on hips and laid down the law.

"You're under house arrest for a month for what happened today. You are also on phone restrictions. But as far as anything else goes, nothing's changed drastically besides the fact that you can't go out anywhere, alone."

Ichigo came up placing his hand on her shoulder, "Now about our deal earlier, Toushiro will discuss that with you."

She turned to look at him, hearing herself take a breath, readying for whatever might happen next.

"It's all right, Momo," he said too softly as she stopped breathing. "It's all right."

"I know," but even as she said it, she was scared.

She felt nervous walking down the corridor, trying to think of anything that she'd done that could get her in trouble. She knocked on the door to Hitsugaya's office, one of the many doors that Hinamori never had the time to explore.

"Come in," he sounded terribly tired.

This room was one of the smaller ones, but even so it still had shelves and shelves of files, books, and probably hidden doors. There was a yellow couch in the middle of the room, with a clear glass table, and he was sitting in a large black leather computer chair behind a brown desk, papers scattered everywhere.

"Hello," he said, grinning. She still felt that odd rush whenever he looked so happy to see her. "Need a favour?"

"Answers to be more precise."

Hitsugaya thought for about a second, then nodded, gesturing to the empty yellow couch in the middle of no where. She hesitated before closing the door behind her, it was this moment that she knew they hid secrets, truths and half-truths, that they kept from her always at arm's length, behind a closed door, footsteps away and she wasn't about to be interrupted as she clicked the lock. At the same moment, Hitsugaya was sitting beside her on the couch when he asked, "What is so important?"

It was suddenly too hot, loud, and bright. She looked at him as if she were studying him, a shadow of his own penetrating stare.

"You seem nervous," Hitsugaya said. "Why?"

"What?" Hinamori said, but she knew.

"Is it me?" he asked. "I mean, if this isn't the right time to talk, we can arrange for another time."

"No," she said. "Of course not. It's just- there was something I wanted to tell you," she shook her head. "Something that I'm trying to remember."

He was watching her more intently now, "What is it about?"

She looked at him, and wondered how to answer his question. How to answer without making the throbbing in her mind worse. The more she tried to remember, the more it hurt. She sighed finally realizing that the only thing she could give him was the truth. Whatever they were to each other, whatever else they might be to each other, at least trust, was between them. Hitsugaya continued to look at her, and there was pain in his face, such struggle, as if Hinamori had said something incomprehensible.

"I asked you a question," he said, and his impatience was slipping. He was trying to control himself. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I don't know, exactly," she admitted. "I can't see it clearly, it's there. In my mind but it won't come out."

Hitsugaya made a small movement that drew her attention out of her thoughts and back to him. He had taken her hand in his. He was waiting, outwardly patient, but there was demand in him. Time to put up, or shut up.

"Close your eyes," he said, and she did, without hesitation. She felt his hand wrap around hers, then he raised her wrist to his mouth, and when he laid a chaste kiss, it was just a kiss, no extras across the pulse point; her thoughts came instantly awake in the pitch blackness of her mind. He cupped her face and he leaned into that touch, eyes closing for a moment as if this one innocent touch was almost too much to bear.

He called out to her, "Hinamori, stop fighting it. Stop resisting the power, let yourself break through."

Hitsugaya opened his eyes and stared down at her with glowing eyes. He seemed to be searching her face for some sign. "Are you still here with me?"

The question made no sense at first, then she said, "I am here, right here."

He let go of her wrists. She felt him move back from her. Hinamori opened her eyes and stared at him. "What happened?" she asked.

Hitsugaya spoke softly, "Are you yourself?"

She nodded.

"Are you well?"

"I think so." He gave her a face as blank and unreadable as any she'd ever seen. She studied the curve of his lips, then she raised her eyes slowly to meet his. They were beautiful as always, such a deep, deep greenish blue.

Suddenly Hitsugaya held her face immobilized with his strong hand, "I want to know what you were going to tell me, Hinamori," he whispered, and his breath was warmer than it had been. Hinamori's hands were warm now, as if she had caught a sudden fever. He held her face tilted up to him as if for a kiss.

She struggled to swallow so she could whisper whatever it was that was tugging her mind, "I met someone, and ever since I feel like I'm being watched."

"What is this person's name?" he said softly.

"Aizen Sousuke," she whispered. "That was his name."

She stared into his eyes and felt nothing.

Just like that, they had come back to the same place, a place they knew well. Just standing across the battle line, eye to eye, no further from where they'd started. A quarrel of hidden truths.

**Authors Note: So sorry for the late update but it's one of my stress weeks since it' the end of term one. Anywho this is one of those chapters based on development, sorry about that, but things will be clarified in the next chapter, well most things. Hate it? (No flames; just instructive critism) Love it? & Special thanks to: **_**neverXendingXsickness**_** for the alert and **_**mujer-preservativa, **_**especially for his/her thoughts and the alert! **

_**Preview**_**: **_**"What do you want from me, Hinamori?"**_

"_**Truth."**_

"_**You asking for truth is a great price, but it is seldom what you truly want."**_

_**She shook her head, "Please, Hitsugaya-sama, I need to know. I know I'm difficult, but let's pretend I'm not. Let's pretend that I'm not a huge pawn. Just talk to me and tell me your reasonings." She paused before adding, "I'll do whatever you want." **_

_**Hinamori had trouble speaking around her pulse now, because she had a bad feeling that something was about to happen. Something she wasn't going to enjoy.**_


	8. You Tell Me

Chapter 8

Hitsugaya's alarm went off, and he blindly slapped it into silence. The buzzing was redundant. Meanwhile Hinamori eased slowly into consciousness. Together, they'd been up for hours playing Shogi to pass the time in silence, until dawn's arrival; did they end up falling asleep on the couch.

There was an odd sensation against Hinamori's forehead. Her eyelids fluttered open. Long male fingers were brushing her bangs aside. They barely drifted across her cheek and then over her jaw. She could hardly make out the figure that she was leaning against from the light that was slipping through the curtains, despite this she knew. Hitsugaya's eyes were closed, arching brows drawn down, thick lashes against his regal cheekbones. His right arm was draped across her waist in a protective hold, while his left hand returned to the head of the couch, when it absently stopped touching her face.

Her memories of what happened between them hung just on the tip of her tongue. She recalled how Hitsugaya decided to _'just drop_' their discussions until later, then they were suddenly engrossed in a still, fierce battle of Shogi. A clock sat next to it. Evidence of the board game still lingered scattered across the glass table, a few pieces untouched; Hitsugaya had won by two.

Somewhere in the office, a phone went off. Before Hinamori had time to stretch her arms, Hitsugaya moved so fast making her jump. At the desk, he picked up the phone.

"Yeah? Abarai? Sure. It's fine, then I'll see you tomorrow."

He hung up the phone, flexed his arms, his biceps curling up thick, and one shoulder cracking from the force. He ran a hand through his hair. Hinamori shifted nervously as she watched him. She looked at the clock ticking on the table. They had slept through the whole morning. She continued to stare at the round object, getting lost in the second hand's crawl around the dial.

"Hinamori." when she looked back at him again, he was leaning his head back. "You should eat, and do whatever you need to do because the others are out till sunrise, tomorrow."

She nodded slowly before pausing; "Yeah?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Meaning you have all the time to think, of questions. Whatever you want to discuss, we'll discuss with no interruptions. You have till dinner."

Matsumoto, Renji and Ichigo walked down an alley opened to streets at both ends. After leaving their carriage hidden in the shadows, they slowly advanced into the darkness.

"Where'd Kira go?" Renji asked as he caught the whiff of a dumpster nearby.

"He's taking the other end with the others."

Somewhere in the dark, shadows shifted by the buildings. Their focus was getting to the victim. So it wasn't until Renji and co were halfway across the path, that they smelt the rotten odor. And sure enough, not long after the second figure, another appeared at the end of the alley. It looked left and right and then rushed forward. Ichigo and company knew what their enemies were after. There was nothing to draw these creatures into a dark alley except for the scent of blood, something human noses could never pick up. The closest of the three figures fell upon the unconscious female, like someone had laid out a buffet for it. The woman's wrist was already slit as it began drinking; it was taken by surprise when the first shuriken went into its shoulder. Immediate instinct was to protect the meal, so the dark figures hauled the women's body behind some mangled trash cans.

The second shuriken hit, one became disorganized in its movements but the group kept on sinking deeper into the shadows, all now taking their share of blood as swords were being drawn.

"Ichigo, move." Renji said. "Flash bomb."

In a fluid motion, Ichigo wheeled around just as a red flame whizzed passed his head. The creatures howled in pain. He ducked and swung his sword, which flashed silver and swerved in a deadly arc. It caught the closest Kaiju in the neck, splitting his throat open before it disintegrated into a black mist. Another eerie screech echoed the night as the second dispatched. Leaving the last, to drive its teeth into the back of the victim's neck and pushed the bite home. Moments later she slumped like a rag doll, before the Kaiju itself, dematerialized.

Hitsugaya followed Hinamori into the basement; her only guidance was the torches lined up on the brick walls. And then she reached the bottom, welcomed by the warmth of candlelight. The shades of white and black were all Hinamori saw as Hitsugaya past her and sat down on a black leather couch.

He leaned back, running a hand across the sofa. His knees fell out to the sides, his thighs spread. He looked damn comfortable as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Without further a due, what do you want from me, Hinamori?"

She wiped her eyes. "Truth."

"You asking for truth is a great price, but it is seldom what you truly want."

She shook her head, "Please, Hitsugaya-sama, I need to know. I know I'm difficult, but let's pretend I'm not. Let's pretend that I'm not a huge pawn. Just talk to me and tell me your reasonings." She paused before adding, "I'll do whatever you want."

Hitsugaya smiled a little, as if something pleased him when Hinamori sat down beside him. Then again, desperation could make a fool out of anyone.

She pursed her lips. "Tell me why I'm here."

"Your parents were old acquaintances of mine," he sat forward, elbows on knees. "Very loyal to the Aisu-Clan, second to inherit the money and they were very good at keeping it safe." He leaned his head back staring at the roof. "As their daughter, half of this is yours."

"Really? Then there should be a will, I mean there _has _to be one, for the last twenty years."

"_That _I don't have in my possession."

She took a deep, sad breath. A small part of her believed she'd get some answers. Finally. "This is a waste of time." She stood and began walking away.

He was in front of her before she could blink; fear struck her heart as she stepped back. He caught her wrist and wouldn't let go. She tugged and her body swayed, whenever he got too close, her mind blurred and it was happening, again.

"Your parents entrusted me with you, to protect you because you're going to need me."

"I've seen my records." Her voice didn't waver. "My father passed away in an accident, my mother committed suicide because of it. They _left _me."

"I'm sorry, but that's just not what happened. They loved you."

She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. She wasn't going to fall under his spell again. "Let me go."

"Hinamori, look at me."

"You'll only capture me with your gaze."

"I don't wish you capture you," he said softly.

"Liar," she said. "You're seeing how careful I need to be around you."

"I don't want you to have to be careful around me, but I don't know how to get you to believe me."

When she didn't say anything, he took her hand and held it over his heart, becoming utterly frozen, giving her a chance to read him. "They weren't capable of protecting you because they don't have the abilities I do."

Her expression shrank and there was a long silence. He dropped her hand and reached into his pocket, pulling out a black and silver shuriken. Hinamori shrank in horror and stumbled away from him. Suddenly the room got brighter; more candles came on in the room, lit by no one. Hinamori had trouble speaking around her pulse now, because she had a feeling something bad was about to happen. Something she wasn't going to enjoy.

With a flick of his wrist, the shurikens left his hand, and shot past Hinamori like an invisible force inches from her head, before colliding with the wall in an eerie echo. She turned to see the weapons stuck in a crease in the wall, and looked back at him in disbelief. "This isn't happening."

She raced across the room, bolted up the stairs, tripping only once. When she fumbled with the latch on the door, she broke a nail, but eventually got it open. She ran through the hall. Burst into the main entrance and-

Hitsugaya was there, leaning against her only exit.

She fumbled in her steps, and took the stairs two at a time. Terror flooded her body, fright and disbelief seizing her heart in a fist. Her mind thrown into madness. She knew he was following her, and she ran harder and faster till she reached her room. The door swung with a bang against the wall, but his foot caught it before she could slam it shut.

"Why?" She clamped a hand over her mouth as if she were going to be sick. Hinamori backed until she collided with her bed; she shook as tears took control of her. If this was a dream, she'd want to wake up and if not…he had a lot more explaining to do either than a recollect of their lives. Seconds ago he standing in her doorway, then he had captured both her wrists in one hand. In one moment, she didn't have time to think, as he took her face in his free hand, and closed his mouth over hers.

**Authors Note: Special thanks to _froXenshadow_, _Kaishi-chan _and _sayume214_ for their alerts! Well there you have it, until next time. Reviews are always welcomed because they always make my day or motivate me to write more! Thanks to everyone for supporting me with my slow updates!  
**


	9. This Innocence Is Over

Chapter 9

When Hitsugaya bent down over her, his breath was sweet and minty as he captured her lips with his. His mouth was warm, so warm against hers, like melted chocolate. Something that made you want to open your mouth to and lick it clean. Some thought in her mind, didn't understand this, not one bit. The idea kept her mouth closed. When Hitsugaya felt her cringe against him, he pulled back immediately, enough to whisper. "I'm sorry."

Meanwhile in Hinamori's mind, she needed to get those arms and legs of her working. Trouble was, she didn't really want to push him away. She sighed. It was the chemistry, and distance between them. Pure, raw animal desire and she wanted whatever he had to give. Hinamori reached out, curious to touch him, running her hand through the white tresses. They were soft to the touch and never tangled. She ran her fingers down the curves of his face, and though he seemed surprised, he didn't pull back.

And her eyes knew it just as obvious as her mind did. _He's not any different from before, just more mysterious. _She smiled up at him as he towered upon her, a silent nuisance. _No danger at all. _

When he picked her up she didn't fight him. But as she let him carry her down the hall, fear and confusion poured into her heart in a wave of distress. He laid her on his bed and wrapped the top sheet around her. Then he slumped against the wall, across from her, thinking she'd need the space.

"I'm hoping to wake up from this dream," she whispered. "But that's not happening, is it?"

Hitsugaya shook his head grimly, grabbing something off the floor by him, weighting it in his palm. He heard her clear her throat, asking. "Are you going to kill me?"

As he bent his head down, he told himself if there were something, he would fight for her. There was nothing at the moment. Nothing. He answered her question. "Protect. Not kill."

"Is something supposed to happen to me?" she murmured. The desperation in her suggestion was a mere plea for a lie. Hitsugaya stood up and approached the bed. When she didn't shrink away, he sat down taking her hand. A tear fell onto his finger.

"I won't let them get to you," he squeezed her hand. "I'll curse the Kuro-Burado Clan to the end of society as long as I live."

She fell silent. And then, as if it just dawned on her, "Someone's been-"

"They don't know where you are. But when it's time, it's the end."

She let out a strangled sound, like she choked on her dried tears. She looked at him when he placed a Manrikuguari in her palm; it was straining just to lift her hand. Hinamori turned the weights, and saw a Ying-Yang of red and black, white tear drops in place of the circles.

"That's the insignia of the Kuro-Burado Clan, and this," Hitsugaya took the Manrikuguari and replaced it with a three ounce, stainless steel throwing star. One from which was thrown into the wall earlier on, "Is the crest of the Aisu-Clan." Detailed twin dragons twined at the tails, circling in to meet in the centre with sapphire blue eyes. Hinamori fell back against the pillows.

"My parents…" she whispered, "Mou, I can't talk about this."

She curled on her side away from Hitsugaya, "This dream," she murmured. "Maybe it'll still end."

* * *

Violet materialized in the laboratory.

She hadn't expected the night to take her where it had, and that extra layer of pain wasn't going to help the situation. She'd lost two companions, but when was the last time she cared to save them in the end? The trick was, of course, walking that fine line between death and pain. Pain could stretch out for hours, days. Death was the ultimate fail. There was a knock at the door.

"Do you have the test subject?" Violet looked at the shadow in the doorway before she grabbed a nearby needle and stabbed it into her arm, letting blood fill the clear vial. The figure in the door flashed a satisfied smile, placing a hand on Violet's shoulder when she passed by. A shudder went through her.

"We appreciate your efforts."

Violet slapped the hand off her shoulder, "Only for my lord," and scowled at that stupid smile stuck to Gin's face like glue.

* * *

Hitsugaya was exhausted as he laid on the end of the bed and waited for Hinamori to speak again. His body felt as though it were sinking in on itself, his bones cracking under the tension of his muscles. He watched her as she stared back at him, lying there like a broken rag doll. She toyed with his shuriken, slowly gliding a finger against its sharpness.

"Are you like some sort of under covered ninja?" Hinamori asked abruptly.

"Maybe." Hitsugaya brought his palms together, linking his fingers tight. "I don't know."

There was a long pause, and then he heard her shifting around his bed. The satin sheets made a soft sound as she moved. He pictured himself hovering over her as she squirmed, her fingers fidgeting under his stare while the blood crept to her cheeks.

He swallowed his throat suddenly tight.

"Hitsugaya?"

"Yeah?"

"Then what are you?"

Fuzzy images of her had him closing his eyes. "The last survivor of my clan, that's all I am. A protector of what was left of my parent's wish. To protect you."

"Why?"

"Because I had to," he replied, cracking his knuckles, trying to find some ease. His heart hammering in his chest, his instincts coming alive, as if he were in a battle. He could hear her light breathing. He had to get some air. To leave her alone.

"Tell me why."

"The Aisu-Clan was very fond of your family, enough to hand everything down to them when my parents passed away. Your parents were like family to mine. We owe them our gratitude and much more. You are what is left of their will so I must protect our parent's wishes."

More shifting on the bed.

"Am I," her voice soft, "Am I precious to you?"

Dark hunger curled in his gut, cramping up his stomach. Hitsugaya stopped breathing. Waiting to see if it would pass. The gnawing sensation grew stronger. He didn't want to be thinking about _things_. Not with her lying in his bed. A mere distance away from him.

He stood up quickly and put more space between them. He definitely needed to get out of here. Hit the night. Find some fresh air. Hinamori got off the bed and extended a hand towards him. "Don't go."

He seemed to be speaking off into the distance and growled, "I made a mistake when I didn't take you in, even after your parent's deaths. I still left you with Chihiro and she swore to keep your identity safe. I planned to retrieve you when you matured, but then you had to complicate things, hadn't you?"

"When did you learn about me?"

"Not until I was seventeen, it was on the day my mother left me. She told me in her death bed. With my father already gone, your mother took the opportunity to fill in the rest after my mother passed away."

Hinamori believed this not only because she wanted it to be true but because the royal clan would have protected their friends.

"How did you find me?"

Hitsugaya smirked. "My parent's wish was to protect what was precious to yours which was you, their child. I was worried for your safety, so my guards immediately began searching for you, and years later I found you. Kurosaki ironically went to the tea shop that day."

Hinamori came to him, her hand landed on his chest, right above his heart. And with her other hand, she clenched the folds of his black kimono. He took a deep breathe as she stepped into him, leaning her head on his chest.

"I was angry, scared and confused." she looked up at him, and then she lifted up on her tiptoes and put her lips to his cheek, "Thank you," she paused. "For everything."

An overwhelming, possessive instinct flashed through him, he wanted to take her. Except he knew he had no right to do that. He was only supposed to protect her. Hitsugaya felt her go still by him, and he looked down.

"Hitsugaya-sama?" she whispered. He wanted to tell her to call him by his title. "What's wrong?"

He moved to pull away from her, but she caught his face in her hands. "Hitsugaya-sama?"

He wasn't breathing now, her breathe clouding his mind, ripping through his stomach, almost as bad as the first night when her voice struck him. His mind and physical needs declared war, had marched into battle like death. And he knew which one was going to take control if Hinamori didn't get away from him.

"I am not going to take advantage of you," he said through gritted teeth more to his conscious than he did to her, "too much has happened tonight."

_Lord,_ everything about him radiated need, from the stillness of his body to the way he restrained himself from touching her. He was like no man she'd ever come across before. And his body told her just as clearly as his eyes did. She was going to help him.

"Kiss me," she said.

Hitsugaya started shaking his head. As if he was trying to clear it. His eyebrows were tight, and it gave her some vague thought that she shouldn't be tempting him. Despite this, she imagined him kissing a trail down her body, licking her.

Hinamori moaned. Against her, Hitsugaya's body jerked, breath slamming into his lungs. His gasp shattered the silence in the room. _Time to go, it's really time to-_

Except he wasn't moving when he felt her hands moving along the line of his face down to his neck and then her breathe fanned his ear. "You told me what I wanted. Now I'll tell you what you want," her lips were close to his ear, "You want me and I want you to have me."

Hitsugaya gripped her shoulders, "Hinamori…" he held her in front of him.

She smiled up at him, relishing the hunger in his face. "Touch me."

He knew he should have said no but parts of him throbbed as if it had its own heartbeat. "This is not what I took you in for," he narrowed his eyes on her, "Forget it."

"Touch me anyway," she knew what he wanted.

Instead he kissed her, and this time she didn't fight him. Let her body melt into his, let him feed at her mouth. There were moments when the caress of lips and tongue spilled over a line, and beyond that line, you kiss back. She kissed him as he was meant to be kissed, full and complete, tasting her.

He had her on the bed and under him in a flash of movement. Hitsugaya kissed her the way she'd always dreamed of being kissed. His lips were soft but urgent, until it twisted with a full on flame. The kiss was hot, and addictive and so good; she wanted to cheer from pure joy. It was amazing and she never wanted it to end but he pulled away and then…

She was surprised to find his hands sliding into her robes, as he rested his fingers at her waist. Hinamori began to clasp her fingers around the fabric when he caught her hand and brought it to his mouth for a kiss, letting her feel a hint of his tongue as he brushed his lips against her fingers. A bolt of desire ran from his kisses causing her to bite her lip against the sensation it brought.

She closed her eyes and let out a moan as he began to take her to a world of bliss.

**Authors Note: Well there goes my brain...this chapter was hard to work around. And yes you guessed it, this leads to their moment of _fantasies_...Here goes my special thanks to: , _fastXattack_, _Tobiloveswaffles_ and _Stelra Etnae_ for their alerts! Hope to see everyone soon because reviews will always make me smile! **


	10. Fumbling Towards Ecstacy

_**Warning****: The content that you're about to read contains descriptive sexual content, if you don't want to read this 'lemon' then I suggest you stop now. You've been warned!**_

Chapter 10

Hitsugaya's thumb moved slightly on Hinamori's calf and then to her thigh, up and down as she tried to catch her breath. He kissed the back of her hand letting it rub against his cheek, she was sure he could feel the pounding of her heart. His hand lifted to her hair. When waves of it landed on her shoulder, she realized he plucked out the ribbon of her ponytail. "I like your hair down."

"Hitsugaya-sama, please."

"Yes?" he whispered, leaning in to that his mouth lingered just above hers, their breath warm against another's lips. His hand moved back to the front of her robes, pulling at the cord and obi that kept everything together. Discarding them, leaving a bare line of flesh from her neck to collar bone as the robe gaped open halfway; his fingers traced the contours of her face.

"Are you afraid?" he whispered, looking at her with eyes that pierced her soul.

"No, I just…"

His touch kept going, working a path between her chest. He flattened his palm over her stomach. The weight was heavy and warm. He leaned forward, nuzzling her neck.

"I won't hurt you," he murmured before she could get a sentence to form. He was so close that he smelled as good as he looked or imagined, there was no expensive cologne scent but a clean fresh mint sort of aroma; it was his natural scent. "I'll be gentle"- his hands were on her calves again then moved to her knees, stroking the sensitive skin behind them. "Trust me,"- his hands stopped on her hips, thumbs massaging her flesh.

He buried his face in her stomach and her hands moved on their own to slip through his soft hair, while he rained kisses on her body. Hitsugaya dragged his head back the way it came, leaving his breath along her skin. She gasped as her breasts were exposed to the cool air; the layers fell away from her body, completely.

"Beautiful," he murmured. His breath was tingling her nipple, "So soft and perfect," his tongue was overwhelming as he began to suck, nipping lightly. She arched in his arms, pressing herself against him. Her head fell back and she moaned.

"_God_, I love that sound," he said as his hand drifted up her rib cage, "Touch, taste, smell, hearing are just as important as sight."

Hinamori hadn't seen him remove his kimono but she was too distracted, when her hand was running down his chest, over his nipple, and his perfectly sculpted and hairless torso. Hitsugaya wearing only a hakama fogged Hinamori's brain. She used her eyes to follow her path to his flat stomach, to the border of his remaining garment where her fingers lingered.

Hitsugaya noted her hesitation and intensity as he placed his hand on hers, "I promise you will feel no pain from my touch."

He studied her as she gazed back at him, then she looked away. Normally she wasn't shy around him, even though she'd probably seen nakedness too many times to count during her job. But this was different, she'd known Hitsugaya for _only_ one summer, discovered things she never thought possible about anyone. Yet she never wanted anything more. And now she was having trouble not to jump his gorgeous body that she was resisting to touch. _And what a fail it was. _

Suddenly he had his hands on each side of her face, a little too close for her comfort as he pierced her with his eyes again, which of course she admitted silently to herself, she couldn't get enough of them. Hitsugaya seemed to know the affect of this. Suddenly Hinamori had forgotten how to blink even as he whispered.

"We won't do this if it's too much."

His breath smelled like peppermint, Hinamori sworn she could taste it.

Accepting the inevitable, she bent her fingers slipping them below his navel to disappear beneath the black silk. They both paused for a second as she undid the sash and let the hakama fall to their legs. With her soul and voice in her throat she refused to look at him, before raising her eyes to his face and resolutely kept them there.

Hinamori's eyes traveled over his features from his fine structured face to his lips downwards to the boldness of his shoulders and stomach. She heard herself take a ragged breath as she restrained her reactions to his half erected masculinity.

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

"You know you can still stop me." Hitsugaya grinned and suddenly the old, teasing version was back. "Or do you want me as badly as I want you?"

Hinamori swallowed. _Yes. _"No."

Her questions temporarily fled, along with her ability to form sentences, while his hands returned to slide slowly down her shoulders to wrists. He took his time letting his eyes roam over her body which made her giddy and tense.

His hands followed the path his eyes made then his fingers stroked the flesh of her legs as he went up her thighs and by the time he made it to her stomach, she moaned leaving her gasping when he captured her breast again. Letting his fingers run through her hair and stroke her face before capturing her eyes.

Then his eyes lowered between her legs and Hinamori felt herself burning.

Her hands fisted the sheets in a death hold, she shuddered. "Stop playing games."

His laughed echoed across the room. "Are you willing to do me this favour in full?"

Helpless and surprised against her wish to lie she whispered, "Show me how it's meant for a man to love a woman."

Hitsugaya paused, before running his fingers along the length of her leg then back down, stopping from where Hinamori wanted him to be but his eyes glinted back at her, his feather light touch on her sensitive lips caused the tickling heat inside her to spill.

"I think I know what you taste like," he murmured against her trembling lips. He kissed her and her arms went around his shoulders, automatically. His fingers kept on trailing that last inch, she wanted him to finish that teasing promise.

The bed adjusted, a moment before one long finger was dipped into her. As if he wanted to her know that he wasn't referring to her kisses a moment ago. Her body jerked and she grabbed onto his shoulders, scoring him with her nails. He found that sweet spot, flexing his fingers back and forth, back and forth, quicker and quicker, until the feeling threw Hinamori's head back, and tore a scream from her.

She gave a strangled growl, but only to tense when he put his mouth over the pink lace between her thighs, she gasped and tangled her fingers in his hair. He tore away her flimsy garment. His head fell between her legs, his hair brushing her groin. His breath fanning her most personal place. She bit her lip, close to release but far away from clarity.

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and then his tongue was thrusting into her cave exploring her most private area, teasing and tasting, making her scream. His tongue was a hot stroke up her center. He nuzzled her, tugged and bit with his teeth. A release shattered her, but he kept going.

"Just as I thought," he said, "you taste exactly like peaches."

Hitsugaya was hovering over her again, and then she felt him brush against her leg, and the feeling of his firm weight set her unbearable need of him, on fire. Her only thoughts was having him inside her, this overpowered everything she ever wanted. Despite this, her revenge was also set in motion as she pushed him away, he was astonished by her sudden action. Then he tensed and froze when she suddenly grabbed him. Hinamori smiled wickedly into his startled face, but his eyes rolled into his head, when she compressed. She ran her fingers along his lengthening muscle, before brushing her nail along the tip and smiled when he screamed.

He moaned when her lips capped the tip, before her tongue flicked out swirling around, before her teeth grazed the skin when she took in more.

Hinamori was surprised by the unrecognizable strength that pinned her down, and forced the breath out of her, but more shocked by his lack of breath. Suddenly she was amazed by the feeling of him, as he eased himself inside her. He was a tremendous presence inside her, stretching her till she thought she might tear. She gasped, her thighs straining as she struggled to adjust to him. Her breath turned into a rising, gasping and uncontrollable pant. Suddenly her senses snapped in a colourful frenzy in front of her, as she cried out his name when he erupted. He groaned, and she felt him jerk and release again inside of her. She felt everything with each thrust as he came over and over again.

Hitsugaya suddenly lifted her completely off the bed and settled her against his waist, so that she was forced to twine her legs around him or fall. He pressed her back against the headboard.

The second jolt of impact broke through Hinamori so fast, that she didn't have time to register what was happening, but she cried out in astonishment, despite her confusion. It didn't hurt as she watched him pull out, but before she could say something, he slammed back into her again. Now all she wanted was for him to drive in faster, and harder as he rocked her against the headrest. He stopped trying for rhythm, and thrust inside her, as hard and fast as he could. He brought her again; she dug her nails into his shoulders and back. They screamed as they came together in liquid pleasure. The orgasm caught them, and there was no more dancing for them. Just screaming, nails digging, writhing, and no rhythm or control.

At the same time, another orgasm overpowered them both and they cried out, before collapsing to the sheets. Hinamori only remembered hoping that the door was locked, and that their occupants weren't going to return anytime soon, when she blacked out.

**Authors Note: Deeply sorry for this extrememly late update (slower than most) but I've just started my winter break, so I've been x-mas shopping and I just got sick (Ugh!). _Special_ thanks goes to: _fastXattack_,_ YoshidaEri_, _Suils Saifir_, _Kalow_, ThexWhitexPheonix, _unformidable trust_, , and _allliy_ for their alerts! Until next time, hope to see everyone again soon! Reviews are always appreciated and might just make me feel a little bit less crappier. (Sucks being sick!) **


	11. Fear

Chapter 11

Hinamori instantly came awake in the pitch black, her heart in her throat. She didn't know what had woken her, but it was something bad. The room looked empty, so why was it that there was a shadow sitting at the foot of the bed?

When she looked directly at it, it wasn't there, but from her peripheral vision, she could see it. A blackness that began to take shape, until there was a dark outline of a woman.

Hinamori shook Hitsugaya's arm, trying to wake him, but it didn't work, they just laid there pressed together, yet she was so cold.

Silent. Everything was silent, in the house, in the outside world. She focused on his breathing, matching the draw and push of her own lungs to his.

So peaceful. And quiet.

The moment, she drew in a sharp breath, the voice clouded her mind. "_Do not scream, mistress._"

Then she smelt it, the rotten odour of burnt flesh as she thought of several questions to ask it, and finally settled for "Why are you here?"

Hinamori finally reached for Hitsugaya, he was warm and peacefully sleeping. Yet how come she couldn't feel the weight of his arm pressed around her torso. Her fear began building, as the figure shifted in a ripple of black mist. The woman materialized in a black robe, the hood enclosed over her face.

"I'll ask you again, why are you here?"

"_My master has interest in you_."

"Well, I'll try to be less interesting."

The woman's laugh vibrated the mattress, and Hinamori was absently unwinding herself from Hitsugaya's weightless embrace. The stranger shifted, and then Hinamori had her naked back pressed against the headboard. A slender, white hand was extended towards her under all that black.

"_I can smell your fear, child_," the voice was neutral, calm. "_And I thought this appearance wouldn't frighten you_."

"I want you to leave." Hinamori's heart was pounding. "Now_._"

The black figure moved as if flowing in thin air, no footsteps, her shadow falling over the room; once she stood by the windows. Hitsugaya stirred and murmured in his sleep, once again Hinamori reached for him, shaking him and got no response. She was just touching warm, buoyant stone. The stranger turned on them, staring at the sleeping form.

"_He cannot feel your touch as you cannot feel his. Though everything you see, sense or smell that is not connected to him is real_."

Hinamori started to speak again, but the darkness filled her lungs, cut off her air circulation. She was choking on night, drowning on crisp cool air. The darkness swelled around her like a great dark ocean. _"We'll be waiting." _

The dream shattered, and she woke up screaming.

* * *

Hitsugaya was leaning over Hinamori, her pupils rolled back until there was only white. She wasn't conscious, but her body was arched off the bed as if her insides were straining to rip out of her skin. Her scream was an eerie echo around the room.

He heard the loud beating of footsteps approaching his room, before someone was pounding on the door, rattling the knob.

"Taichou!" Matsumoto pounded harder, "What's going on?!"

"Toushiro!" Ichigo shouted, "Open the door!"

Lights from the hall flooded through the bottom of the door frame. It seemed as if that door was about to explode open, if Hitsugaya didn't open it now. There was the tiny click of a key being shoved into the keyhole, someone dropped it and cursed. And then Hitsugaya was blinded from the beams of yellow that entered his room. He shielded his eyes.

Renji, Kira and Ichigo stood frozen by the door, Matsumoto pushed straight through the men, not caring that Hinamori was fully exposed or that her captain was half-naked. His blanket covered what was necessary.

Matsumoto was knelt down by the couple; Hitsugaya was balanced on all fours over Hinamori, holding her shoulders down with his hands, while her legs were locked between his.

"What happened?" the blonde brushed away the hair from the still pale and screaming geisha. Her fingers were digging into the folds of the bed, ripping through the fabric.

"I don't know," Hitsugaya's voice shook, "We were asleep and then she woke up having a screaming seizure."

The strawberry-blonde gestured her captain aside, and then with a quick motion of her hand, she snapped her arm fast and then her hand collided with Hinamori's face, hard.

Hinamori blinked once, and then she was staring at the ceiling, broken out in cold-sweat. She gasped, as if taking in a lungful of air after you've drown. Matsumoto was patting her pale face waiting for her to regain composure.

The geisha was feeling desperately around the silk sheets for something, and then warm, slender fingers laced through hers. She squeezed the hand.

"Are you okay?" Hitsugaya came into her view, "Need anything?"

Her throat was dry. "Water," her voice cracked.

Ichigo's shadow fell over them as he held out a tray. Matsumoto grabbed the tea cup. They helped Hinamori settle against the backboard, while Hitsugaya draped a robe over her. She closed her eyes at the scent of freshly brewed tea, then she cracked open her lips, letting the liquid fill her mouth when Matsumoto pressed the cup to her lips.

"Colour has come back to her." Ichigo said, shockingly relieved.

"Is there anything else we can do for you?" he asked Hinamori, but she just stared at him.

"We can leave." Kira's voice came from the hall. Ichigo and Matsumoto rose from their places beside the bed, nodded at Hitsugaya once before walking to the door. Hitsugaya watched his companions stand at the entrance, Ikkaku has his arms crossed over his chest and he was scowling. "He's marked the woman."

Yumichika ran a hand through his sleepy-tousled hair, "Clearly, it's radiating all over." He sighed. "How troublesome."

"We'll talk about this later, guys." Matsumoto reached for the door and shut her captain and his lover in darkness.

* * *

Two candles illuminated the room. Hitsugaya cursed silently to himself. But right now wasn't the time to be pissed off about what was to come; instead he should be worried about Hinamori. He squeezed her hand and she cocked her head at him, still dazed.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he said, pulling her off the bed with him.

Hinamori turned and then she doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. She groaned into the silks.

Hitsugaya dropped her hand and ran to her, throwing the robe aside from her body. There was a trickle of blood on his sheets, it wasn't a lot, but it scared him shitless. His turquoise orbs followed the line of blood between her legs.

"You're bleeding." He whispered.

"I'm just sore."

Hitsugaya disappeared to his bathroom and came back to her, he eased a towel between her legs, and she squirmed. "I hurt you, I'm sorry."

She turned her head to the side, half of her face pressed into the pillows. "It's only natural that I'd bleed."

He placed his head on her pillow and she reached for him, sliding her fingers through his hair, taking in his scent ever so slowly.

"Does it hurt?" he murmured.

She sighed and smiled, "No because I'm sure it was a good hurt."

* * *

The captain was the last one to enter his office for the conference. He sat down in his leather chair, with Matsumoto on his right and Ichigo on his left. Ikkaku was sprawled across the yellow sofa with Yumichika sitting at his feet. Renji leaned against one of the tall bookshelves that would collapse any time soon, if he applied anymore pressure. Kira was absently staring outside. The atmosphere was maddening and intense.

The ticking of the clock on the desk drove everyone nuts, until Ikkaku spoke up, "Damn it, do you know what you've done Hitsugaya-taichou?"

Everyone had been expecting this, waiting for this outburst.

"What of it?"

"This is a violation the law, _twice_!"

"Your point?"

"You thought bringing in someone of the lower class wouldn't be enough? And now you had to fuck her senseless!"

Yumichika had his hand on his best friend's shoulder, thinking he'd gone too far. "Watch your mouth, Ikkaku," he warned. Hitsugaya decided not to get aggravated about that last remark. Yumichika shot Renji a look, when the red-head said something about Ikkaku watching his mouth, or he'd get his foot somewhere he wouldn't want it to be.

Hitsugaya rubbed his face with a hand, "They're catching onto us, aren't they?"

Yumichika nodded his head, and relaxed when Ikkaku settled back down.

"The more connected she is to any of us, the worse it gets," Renji stated, "to the point where her memories will be too vivid for any of us to erase."

"It'll be easier for them to track her when she's with us," Matsumoto murmured, "it only gets worse from here because it'll be the same." Her voice fell. "The same as V."

Someone cursed.

Ichigo searched himself for something, patting his pockets before he threw a broken indicator onto the desk, letting it slide till it stopped perfectly in the center. Anyone would recognize that bloody circle, anywhere.

"They drank her to the last drop."

"The son of a bitch dematerialized."

"And who was the victim?"

"Lady Chihiro."

Hitsugaya swore. Burrying his face in his hands, groaning.

"Don't worry," Kira finally spoke up, he was still staring out the window. "We just have to get to them first, before they get to us."

"We're just going to have to be on our best defence."

Yumichika and Renji nodded in agreement with Ikkaku. "I'm actually starting to like her...a lot."

Matsumoto laughed along with Ichigo.

Hitsugaya stared at the broken indicator. "Yeah, me too."

He closed his eyes, no one heard him.

"More than I should."

**Authors Note: Sorry for the delay but my word files were acting up so I couldn't update faster. Well there was my last update of 08! And on to 09! Happy (early) New Years! My special thanks goes to: **_**emo1girl**_**, **_**Kisa Yamashita**_**, **_**rubyjn**_**, **_**Sabishii Tenshi**_**, **_**xloser21**_**, **_**xoxoShyokoxoChanxoxo**_** and **_**Fourpeg**_** for their alerts! Until next times…hope everyone has a blast of 09! **


	12. Shadowy Deception

**- As of _09_, I'll be alternating my username to _HitsuHina143_**. **Something 'different' for myself on FF this year. But I'll always be remembered as _Bottle-Fairy! _****Happy New Year! (4 days late XD)**_  
_

Chapter 12

When they got to the shrine, there was already a line ascending the steps. Hinamori hadn't said much for the entire walk, as her and company were walking over, she was wringing her hands.

"Are you okay?" Hitsugaya asked her.

"It's just odd," she said, and her voice was low and hollow. She had her eyes on something straight ahead. "Everything."

As Hitsugaya looked up he could see what she meant. Everyone, strangers, were gathered in groups on the shrine steps. Someone was sobbing hysterically, a letter in her hands soaked with tears.

Hinamori stopped when they got within a few feet of the gatherings, so suddenly that everyone with her continued walking until Ichigo had to go back for her. She was standing by herself, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

"Momo?" Ichigo said.

"Something doesn't feel right," she said. "We shouldn't have come."

"What-"

And that was as far as he got before Rukia came up behind them, throwing her arms around them both at once and collapsed into tears. She was wearing all black, from head to toe.

"I can't believe it," she said, lifting her head to take in Hinamori and Ichigo as they pulled away from her as delicately as possible. "It's just so sudden. I just saw her yesterday and now…she's gone."

Ichigo and Hinamori didn't say anything; they just kept walking, while Rukia fumbled for a handkerchief, opening it and then dabbed at her face. "I mean, the time when you were there was great, but after I just started to hate her so much. It wasn't the same-" and now she sobbed, shaking her head, "I might have despised her at times, but I could _never_ truly hate her even if I do say it from time to time."

"I know," Hinamori said. She hadn't seen much of Chihori since mid-summer. After spending a few disastrous weeks at the tea shop, she'd gotten sent off to the Aisu-Clan. It was for the best, they figured. There was only so much stress you can take being a geisha. A few days later she and Hitsugaya had met, and the second half of summer began.

"Orihime's not here," Hinamori said, "How come?"

"Funeral's freak her out." Rukia said, "Inoue always has a convenient excuse for everything."

She kept following the line up to the shrine, now coming up on Nanao who burst into fresh tears, and Hinamori watched as Rukia and Nanao stood and hugged each other, crying together.

"It's so awful," a woman said from behind her. "I heard she was drained of blood."

"That's her niece," another said, pointing to a woman standing with a group of men, holding a letter.

"At the beginning of spring, Chihiro-san still loved her deeply, even when she left to join the Ying-Yang Clan. Anyway Violet is so damn shallow," the first woman continued, "She's always hated Chihiro and was relieved when she left. Right now, those are probably fake tears."

The service started late, with people crowded around and lining the coffin, shuffling and fanning themselves with paper fans. Some were dressed up nicely, obviously used to frequent funerals. Others looked out of place, awkward, tugging at their dress shirts and fidgeting their fingers. And Hinamori looked over at Chihiro's niece surrounded by three men dressed in white, one slipped his hand around hers, squeezing it. She squeezed back, still staring at the ground.

The service was short; the heat was stifling with all the people packed in so tightly as a friend talked about Chihiro, and what she meant to the town. Her niece stepped out and left ten minutes into the speech, her hand pressed against her ear as she walked quickly down the steps, her bodyguards (Hinamori assumed) shadowing behind her. The women from earlier were standing by the empty space and shook their heads, disapproving.

When the service was over, there was an awkward murmur of voices as everything shuffled around. It had gotten very dark, with a strange breeze blowing that smelled like rain. Overhead the clouds had piled up big and black behind the trees. Everyone else stood around uncertain as if they needed permission to leave.

In the distance by a tree, Hinamori spotted Chihiro's wind blowing her chocolate hair around her face, her fair skin so pale against the black of her outfit and her purple cat-like eyes caught Hinamori, unaware.

Then someone walked between them, looking up at the sky, black with clouds, the smell of rain stronger and stronger.

The first drop was big, sloshy and wet, falling on Hinamori's shoulder. Then, suddenly, it was pouring. The rain came in sheets, sending people running towards their rides, shielding themselves with their flimsy fans. Despite this, Hinamori and the strange girl, stood there eyeing each other while blurs of people pass by them.

Hinamori saw him first, walking alone up the path, his white dress shirt soaked and sticking to his back. His head was ducked and he had his hands in his pockets, staring down at the pavement as people ran past with umbrellas. The man stood in front of the petite figure, they were obviously talking and then they were walking in the opposite direction from everyone else. The man had his hand on the small of the woman's back, leading her to a white carriage. As they turned their backs on Hinamori, she caught the pendent on the woman's silver chain as it flashed red and black.

* * *

Back at the household, Hinamori stripped herself of her wet clothes and went into the bathroom to take a super long and steaming soak. She would have lost herself to the feeling of sleep, if Hitsugaya hadn't barged in on her. Thank god for bubble bath.

With Hitsugaya staring down at her, she only slid in deeper till the hot water was right under nose. Her question came up in a gurgle, and she realized that he couldn't understand her. She resurfaced.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, settling back against the tub at neck length.

He slid down, sitting on the cold tiles next to the tub, and leaned his head back against the railing. "You've been in here for almost two hours."

He had his eyes closed and then heard the sloshing of water being tossed around, he imagined himself running his hand along her bare back, washing her. Then her sweet breathe was by his ear, "What are you smiling about?"

"Nothing," he lied. Then he found her staring back at him, with her wet head resting against her folded arms on the edge of the tub, with that sweet smile.

He raised an eyebrow at her unblinking gaze, "What?"

"Nothing," she lied. Her smile growing wider.

She was about to go back to her previous position when Hitsugaya fisted a handful of her wet hair at the back of her neck, restraining her movement for a short moment. She leaned her forehead against his, holding herself back from wrapping her arms around him, not wanting to get his dry uniform wet. Then they found their tongues invading each other's mouths. They were both battling for dominance, yet both failing against another's resistance.

Hinamori laughed against his lips, capturing his bottom lip between her teeth, biting gently. "Care to join me?"

Hitsugaya moaned with the sensation of her tongue teasing his lips or inside his mouth. When she released him of her nibbling, he took the chance to trail his lips along the line of her jaw, and neck before stopping just below her collarbone, where he sucked and bit at the skin, until he left her purple and blue.

Hinamori moved, exposing her breasts out of the bubbles. She moaned when her lover groped her, massaging her flesh tenderly before capturing her with his mouth and gazed his teeth not so gently over her nipple. She almost cried out. Instead she gasped loudly when her back was suddenly met with cold floor.

The couple was either oblivious to the pool of water forming under her or they just didn't care, since they restarted another passionate kiss.

"I have to-" Hitsugaya began talking against her lips. "Go to-" he kissed the bruise below her collar bone, "work."

Hinamori groaned. "No, stay."

He bit her nipple, started a trail between her chest. "I'm sorry-" he continued down her stomach, "I'll be back soon-" he left a wet warm trail along her mid-section. He lifted his head, before cupping her between her legs. "I promise."

He licked her juices off his palm, before helping her off the floor to wrap a towel around her. He hugged her to him. "Stay warm."

"Okay."

After he disappeared, she walked back to her room, feeling strong, content and for the first time in a long time, she was actually smiling. She didn't know how long she sat on her bed for because all she did was wait.

* * *

When Hinamori came to, there was a sense of emptiness. Abandonment. She knew exactly where she was, kept her eyes closed and her breathe even. But she was all by herself in a huge mansion, almost conscious in her own bed again.

She was hungry. Her stomach knotted and clenched and gurgled and complained, probably while she was asleep, too.

Her chest ached fiercely. It was hard to tell how much of it was her fear; being unaided in a humongous house or how much her heart throbbed to be with Hitsugaya, again. To feel his touch, his voice by her ear whispering words meant for only for her, or just his protective warmth.

Her need was probably what had woken her; she was far from rested. It was dark; she didn't need to know with her eyes that it was pitch black. _I should have kept some lights on. _

She tried to swallow and could not. Her head started to spin, but that was probably from hunger. She blinked and rose slowly, resting her back against the headrest, before sitting there for a few mere seconds, and then she threw the covers back.

Her legs were so numb and wooden as she half dragged herself, blindly reaching the door. She opened it, revealing herself to even more darkness. The air was musty and more moist the farther she dragged herself down the hall, but the blackness didn't change, even as she searched for a light switch. The only sound was her footsteps and their nearby fading echoes.

She went a few steps further, rounded a corner. The ground started to slant downward and began to turn and twist like a snake. The angle got steeper with every step, and Hinamori realized that she was on the spiralling staircase, heading towards the main entrance. She turned around and went back up the way she came, grabbing onto the railing, feeling her way up.

Finally, her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she was able to make out the blacks and whites of furniture, as she made her way towards the kitchen. When her feet met with cold tile, her hand lifted to the wall and flicked a switch.

Hinamori tired to focus her eyes, but the light was too bright as it illuminated the room. Blinded, she turned her eyes away from the ceiling of light. After her vision came back to her at full perfect view, she walked around, opening and closing cabinets, all the while taking out packaged food, bowls, cups and lastly utensils from drawers.

She set her ingredients in front of her on the counter tops, and went over them again.

"Okay," she spoke to herself, "Let's see if your memory has faltered."

She worked her way around the kitchen, checking on streamed rice, green tea, stretching out seaweed wrappings, and went through three different pots of steamed ingredients.

After she was done stuffing the many ingredients and rolling them in sticky rice, she wrapped one in seaweed and shoved it in her mouth, devouring the sushi roll in seconds. She smiled and clapped at herself, "Not bad."

Then she sighed, as she took in the mess surrounding her, remains of multiple vegetables and raw meat were all around, on the floor and counter tops. Rolling the remainder of stuffed rice in seaweed, she set them aside.

"Oh dear," a voice came from behind her; Hinamori gasped and pivoted, so fast that she banged her head on an open cupboard, dropping a plate in the process. The shattering of glass made her cringe. She stumbled, vision full of colours.

"You've made such a mess," it was a woman's voice, "I've never seen anyone so unorganized before."

Hinamori shook her head, and blinked. The figure was covered completely from head to toe in a black robe, she choked for two facts: this stranger was pale white and ghostly, but she recognized the navy blue hair and brown eyes. "Mother?"

**Authors Note: Rawr~ Cliff hanger! (Uploaded especially for **_**Momo21**_**, naw you know I'm just kidding with you) Hey, I thought her mother was supposed to be dead. Are her eyes deceiving her?! Here's my first update of 09! And the last update of my winter break! (School stinks!) ****Sorry if you guys got two emails saying that I updated but I had to edit something!**

**Special thanks go to: **_**shortliketoshiro**_**, **_**Snow Wing, **_**and **_**Aria52**_** for their alerts!**** Another super special thanks goes to: **_**ailoveyou **_**who took her time to actually place her first review on my story! And yes I do feel very honoured! **


	13. Losing Grip Of Sanity

Chapter 13

The warriors grunted against the restraint of the enemy, slowly being pushed back. Renji cursed, "Ah hell, since when did they obtain weapons?!"

He caught the Kaiju around the ankle with its ankle, and heaved forward, knocking it from its feet. He side stepped the claws that went for his eyes, missing him by less than a fraction. With the beast pinned by his weight, he took out a dagger but the creature gnawed him in the arm, Renji hissed back the pain. So he went for the eye. The sickening, slurp and gurgle of black blood poured from the socket, as it withered and shrieked.

"Go for the heart, Renji! The heart!" he couldn't tell who was yelling between the clashing of swords. Distracted by the pain searing up his arm, he sunk the dagger into the Kaiju, twisting with a nasty snap as it went through muscle. The monster dispersed in a black mist from under him. Renji rolled onto his side, gasping.

Footsteps were vibrating from the ground, towards him. Matsumoto dropped to her knees, and cradled his head on her lap. She forced an eye open and shone a penlight into his reddish-brown orb. He hissed, and rolled off her lap.

"That hurts."

"Sorry," she mumbled, glancing towards the bloody battle breaking out in the meadow. In the tall grass, Yumichika caught his enemy by the neck and tugged with his scythe, slicing though the bone and muscle easily, and then the body fell sideways, decapitated. The particles of black mist evaporated.

Hitsugaya and Ichigo were backing into one another, being circled in on a group of Kaiju armed with unfamiliar weapons. Ikkaku appeared out of nowhere, piercing a Kaiju straight into the heart through its back. It thrashed for a while, until it turned rigid and went black.

Its friends jumped into action, and then suddenly they paused. Dead silence for a moment.

Matsumoto knew what was happening, without having to see it. Ichigo on his knees, his skin restraining against the rippling of his muscles, Hitsugaya and Ikkaku jumped back, appearing out of the crowd. The Kaiju; being the brainless creatures they are, stood there with weapons out front.

Hitsugaya and Yumichika were already running towards Matsumoto and Renji. They'd let Ichigo handle the rest. Hoping that he wouldn't lose control.

An ear splicing roar and overpowering energy had the Kaiju jumping back. They took in the figure, some retreating slowly but most were on their knees, pressed to the ground by the overwhelming force. They were trapped, unable to dematerialize as their bones were being crushed. One by one they fell, revealing the only standing figure.

Ichigo stood there, well more of his other half than himself. It let itself lose, a white beast streaked with red, its iris glowed orange, black blazing over the white of its eyes. The 'masked' being was out.

It took out its enemies with blinding speed; each fell one by one as they got pierced by razor sharp claws. Black blood drenched hearts were ripped out from the chest of the enemy. Then everyone stood in silence.

Comrades watched as Ichigo's other self stood there for a few more seconds, and then it shed itself. Ichigo stood there, taking in ragged breathes, his chest falling up and down, up and down Before he himself collapsed, disappearing into the tall grass of the black bloodied meadow.

"Is it over?" Matsumoto whispered…to no one.

Ikkaku, Hitsugaya and Yumichika were running back the way they came. Renji was stone dead, unconscious.

She hoped that the sun would come out, wipe clean any evidence of a brutal battle.

Everyone was a disastrous mess.

* * *

Hinamori didn't know how long her mother watched her before she remember that she was there. It must have been for a while. Since the kitchen was such a mess, it had taken her an hour and a half before everything was in its right place. It was too much for her, seeing her mother now, after already convincing herself that she'd never see her again, after believing that she'd lost her when she was only five.

Seeing her sixteen years later, only froze her solid, made her chest burn.

Choking on sudden hope and prayers that were long gone, she lifted her eyes to the woman's face. She didn't notice the expression her mother wore, her face dark and dangerous; the expression was nothing Hinamori was use to. She couldn't tell or maybe she just didn't care.

Her mind was screaming at her to stop, but her body reacted differently.

It jerked her forward, the same way it did when she was in need or want, her desires taking control. The only difference now, this was by willed force.

Her body had a mind of its own, outstretching her arms towards her mother. Her intellect screamed a warning, but her body couldn't hear. It was barely aware that the mind was even there.

Before Hinamori's fingers could make contact, her mother's reach was longer; shooting out in a blur. Her hand smacked into the side of her daughter's face. The strike so impacted that the younger woman stumbled back, and tripped on her own two feet, which sent her to the floor with a loud thud. Hinamori fought the dizziness and pain that spun her towards unconsciousness.

Her heart skipped a beat and then thumped unevenly that she could barely handle the pain of one unexpected slap. Did it matter that she loved her mother, missed her when she was going to kill her?

The stranger was evident in the eyes of whatever had taken over her mother's soul. It locked eyes with the geisha on the floor, teeth-bared, hissing. Hinamori closed her eyes, shoved the memories of her mother far into the depths of her mind, and locked them away in every incarceration she could think of.

Finally, they heard footsteps. And voices. They were back. Fear swept through the geisha.

"Just tell her there was…an accident," Ichigo was saying.

"An accident?" Matsumoto's tone was non-convincing. "And then suddenly there was a miracle and we're all alive!"

"_Most_ of us." She couldn't pick out who said that.

Hinamori's stomach churned, unpleasantly as she got up. Her hands were shaking with fear and stress. Something she didn't understand. She felt like puking from the anxiety. Only four men came into view where the kitchen and living room door met. Ikkaku's face was emotionless; his hand was on Yumichika's shoulder, almost pushing him forward. Until he saw the geisha or maybe it was whatever moved behind her. Ikkaku pulled his buddy back. The men were staring at the women with anger and disbelief; at least their new visitor wasn't hissing or growling anymore.

The men's lips were twisted with hatred, curled over clenched teeth. Eyebrows pulled together over eyes that meant death. Hinamori felt the blood drain from herself, as she realized why they positioned themselves so oddly, ready to pounce. They had weapons, ones that had no purpose in a kitchen. Only ones to kill.

A shiver passed through her, from head to toe at the thought.

"Guys, I think we're scaring her." Kira's voice was low, guarded yet concerned.

For a moment, the crowd relaxed, just not Hinamori. She speculated her roommates, and bit her lip when Hitsugaya took a step forward, slowly extended an empty hand toward her.

She took a step back, bumping into her mother. There were two sharp metallic clicks, and someone gasped.

"Toushiro-kun," the stranger said; her voice was a warm welcome, "it's been a while."

He clicked his teeth, "Step away from the woman."

"Now, Toushiro-kun," she began in a soothing tone. "There are things to be discussed."

At that moment, the obvious sprang to Hinamori's head- there was one secret they would keep away from her. One that she could never, ever know. No matter what she did. They would lock it away.

"Stop it," she suddenly snapped, at no one. Everyone shifted, "This is my mother." Then stopped.

"Not anymore she's not," Hitsugaya said flatly. He narrowed his eyes again and took another deliberate step towards her direction, a weapon ready. Hinamori could see from the way he leaned into attack that words wouldn't stop him. She closed her eyes.

"If you're going to kill my mother," she whispered, "then you're going to have to go through me."

She opened her eyes, and took her stance. Her arms extended to the sides, she locked gazes with the person she trusted most.

"Don't be a fool," Hitsugaya snapped. For the first time, as if she was blinded before. Hinamori noticed his hair was matted with blood, too dark to be normal, it was black, a violent, gruesome sight. But there was no evidence of hurting in his voice, only controlled anger. "Your mother _died_ along time ago, remember? You told me. She committed suicide."

Hinamori stared at him mutely.

"I wish you wouldn't talk to her like that, Toushiro-kun," the stranger muttered.

"Don't worry. We've been keeping an eye on her. Secondly she doesn't seem to want to escape. Thirdly: we let her do what she wants. "

Hinamori spoke "Let me talk to my mother."

Hitsugaya seemed about to object, but then he looked at the figure again and his expression hardened. "I'll let you do this, only for a few minutes. And…you won't be stopping us. From killing it."

Hinamori flinched.

The captain frowned at her, then turned his back abruptly and walked the same way the others had gone. Hinamori watched him go.

And for the second time today, she noticed what was wrong. This time with her mother. The woman was on the edge of keeping her sanity; her irises no longer held that solid brown, and the way she kept her distance from anyone, was abnormal. Hinamori frowned, "What _are _you?"

* * *

"How is he?" Kira leaned over the couch, his lips pressed into a tight line at the sight of Renji. He was asleep, but the way he was resting was nerve racking. Breaking out in cold sweat and gasping for air.

"He's infected," Matsumoto murmured, gabbing at his face. "He's more alert than the rest of us; he can sense Kaiju better now. If Ichigo wasn't pinning him down to the couch, he probably would have ripped its head off. Why is Momo talking to that thing anyway?"

Ikkaku shook his head, "She says it's her _mother_, but we told her we'd kill it after. It wouldn't do the woman any good to see it go out of control."

Matsumoto's blood turned into ice water. "So you left her with it, _alone_?"

"Whatever's happening, the soul is still in control of the mind."

"What about Renji?" Ichigo asked, strained.

"There's nothing _we _can do. If he's strong enough; he'll fight it."

"It's a venomous infection," Hitsugaya explained. "We don't have anything to eject it from his body. _We _don't know how to do it properly without killing him. We have to let it run its course."

Their comrade was sick. There was nothing to heal him, and none of them knew how. The only option was to wait if he could heal himself. And if he couldn't…

"No," Matsumoto moaned, she closed her eyes. "We need V."

Everyone stood there, not moving or speaking. Fighting against a memory, as Renji's face was turning red and sweaty. His skin wasn't the colour of his usual tan. Ichigo moaned.

"Toushiro, do you mind if I step out for a minute? I need to…"

"Go ahead."

Orange hair disappeared down the spiral stairs, everyone's eyes on him as he left the room. He didn't care.

* * *

"I'm sorry. It just seems that the more time my soul spends with those I've known in the past, the better chance I have at…losing control. The emotions linked to the memories and connections of the past...make it faster for it to kill me. I'm not going to take a chance at stopping it…when I don't even remember my own daughter."

"But you're in there, the _mother _I knew is talking to me, right?" Hinamori asked, her voice desperate.

"I'm sorry, I don't know. I can't think. It's painful."

"No!" Hinamori wailed. "Why can't you stay, if others can? Fight it! Mother fight it!"

The woman wrinkled her nose. "I've lived here once. I can't live again. Even if my soul is here, everything I've known as a human is being eaten. The creature inside me is slowly gnawing its way out. It has to be killed along with this body, before it's too late, and I no longer have control…"

Hinamori sobbed, wrapping her arms around her knees. "Then take me with you."

And then, cold and hard from the kitchen doorway, Hitsugaya's voice cracked the tension like crushing ice. "_What _did you just say?"

**Authors Note: I'll have the basics explained in the next chapter, I promise!!! Special thanks goes to: _banshee-hime_, _lovelyangel12_, _JoySakura_, and _timisnotmyname_ for their alerts!! **

**P.S- I only update once a week; well try to, if I don't that means I've been met with delays. Anyways...see everyone next week!! **


	14. Chained Freedom

Chapter 14

The prodigy glared at the two women with such coldness that their unwanted guest, hissed. Hinamori felt like kitchen dropped a few degrees in temperature, or maybe she just turned numb. It was odd- how she wasn't frightened. Her lover's face was still beautiful, even though he was stone cold, infuriated.

"Hitsugaya-taichou?" Kira asked, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

The captain spoke through gritted teeth. "Hinamori," he growled, extended his hand the same way as before, a weapon in his other. He was having difficulty keeping his breathe even, or turning his fingers into claws.

"This isn't right," Hinamori whispered, shaking her head. "You're killing an innocent soul."

"I don't need this now," Hitsugaya snapped, tired of waiting he stomped towards her.

"It's just not right," she said, standing up to him. "And you know it."

""Not right?" he shouted, and he already knew something hateful was coming, before the words left his mouth. "But with other beings and my comrade it was right, huh? Look how _right _you were."

Hinamori took a step back as if he'd slapped her, and he knew he'd gone too far. From the living room Matsumoto was looking at him, with the same expression he'd save for anyone who hurt her.

They just stood there, silent, facing off across the kitchen. Neither of them moved.

Not wanting to argue with an audience, Hitsugaya grabbed her wrist and pulled her after him, Kira jumped back, out of the way. Behind them, they heard the fierce growls and hisses of the Kaiju. It was so close, eating its way out. Hitsugaya was going to have to make things quick.

Ichigo, who was coming up the stairs, placed himself in front of his roommates. He crossed his arms, glaring. He forced them to jerk to a stop. He was blocking their way to the hall.

"What the hell are you _doing_?" he asked, shocked and fuming. "You're hurting her."

"Do you know what she wants?!" Hitsugaya yelled, shaking her at him. Hinamori whimpered.

"Taichou, you're hurting her!" Matsumoto shouted.

Hitsugaya growled, bumped Ichigo in the shoulder, and hauled the geisha away from everyone without a backward glance. The way he was pulling her, made it impossible for her to speak or keep up with him. Silence and darkness was the only thing surrounding them. Hinamori struggled to keep up with his pace, stumbling.

"Hitsugaya…stop," she whimpered.

"_You _stop," he snapped back at her.

His grip tightened around her wrist, there was going to be a mark. Her hand was going numb. His hold was not menacing and livid like before, when he swooped her into his arms, sweeping her off her feet and had her cradled against his chest. He shoved a door out of his way, and swung her onto his bed. Her breath caught in a gasp, before she landed on cushion with a bounce.

Hinamori took a lungful of air and rolled off the bed, onto her feet. She was backing away from Hitsugaya, when he turned away to slam the door in place with too much force. It hit the frame with an echoing rattle. And then he was glowering again. He searched the darkness of his bedroom, until he found her cowering against the corner.

Hitsugaya grabbed her arm and tugged her up from the floor. He trapped her wrist in each hand and pinned them on both sides of her head.

* * *

"I. Won't. Let. Them. Take. You." His eyes shone- reflecting in the darkness, a blue blaze.

"Hitsugaya…" she whispered. "I-"

"Hinamori." He pressed his lips to her ear. His growl was almost a shout, echoing in her ear. She winced, and pulled away. She was jerked to the side, and her breath came out in a cry of pain. The sound made Hitsugaya drop her wrist; instead he spread his palms out against the wall. His breathing was husky in the darkness.

"You can't just leave, Hinamori. It's not a done deal."

She buried her face into the crook of his neck, his hands dropped, and his arms locked around her waist. He tilted his head to the side, and caught her ear between his teeth, he tugged lightly. She jerked, running her hands up the fabric of his back, before grabbing a fistful at the collar behind his neck. Hinamori titled her face up, sideways, pecking his neck, before licking his jaw line with the tip of her tongue. Hitsugaya sighed.

"You can't go."

"Hitsugaya-sama-"

"Don't call me that."

"Hitsugaya, please."

He wrinkled his nose, and said nothing.

"She's trapped, Hitsugaya. Something's eating her alive, I don't even know how. But she talked to me, and I think I can free her. To get my mother back."

"And if she says she doesn't want her life?"

"I _love _her, Hitsugaya." She whispered, "That has to mean something."

"And I care about you," he whispered. "Doesn't that count?"

He closed his eyes. "Is it so wrong for me to think about you? If you don't want that, then I'll keep my distance," he hated at how mistaken he was, "Just stay."

Hinamori returned her fingers to the back of his neck, running them higher through his hair, until they became sticky and wet. She gasped in horror. Hitsugaya immediately put a good distance between them; his face was so worried and confused.

He leaned towards her, an automatic action. His lips pressed lightly against hers once, and he pulled back, expression still the same.

"What's wrong? Tell me."

She passed along his question, "I think we need to get back to the others."

As if right on cue, they heard the catastrophic crash of glass.

* * *

Matsumoto shouted, "Back off, missy because I no longer have the patience to keep you alive!"

She hooked her foot into the curve of the Kaiju's stomach and heaved, sending the thing crashing through the glass porch door. It slide a few feet, breaking through the balcony, before catching itself on the wooden bars of the railing. It hissed.

Hinamori and Hitsugaya stumbled into the kitchen. The Kaiju was still shrieking, scratching and thrashing as it tried to keep itself hooked onto the railing. Its claws cut through the wooden blocks like Swiss cheese. It sent itself flailing down into the backyard until there was a deafening crash of splintering wood.

Matsumoto, Ikkaku, Kira and Yumichika disappeared from the kitchen, followed by gentle thumps on the grass below. Hinamori closed her eyes, she was only starting to get used to Hitsugaya's speedy footwork, but now she was going to have to get used to the others, too?

In the clearing out in the backyard, she saw the forest but she also saw blurs of figures flashing from here to there. Behind her, someone moaned. Hitsugaya turned with her. She recognized the muddled red hair.

"Abarai-kun?"

She began walking, only to be stopped by Ichigo's stare as he sat down on the edge of the couch. "Careful," he looked at his friend, "Renji's not his usual self."

Ichigo's orange hair was scruffy, as he nodded towards the scene through the broken glass, "You see that, that _thing _outside that use to be your mother."

Hinamori turned back the way she was facing before; Hitsugaya was no longer at her side. He was leaning over the railing; possible glaring out into the battle between what was left of his parent's best friend, or just itching to join them.

Ichigo was talking again, "That thing, I don't know if you saw it but _that _is what ate your mother, from the inside out. First it's just venom mixed with a being's blood, and then the host is slowly infected with unbearable pain."

Ichigo wasn't even certain if he had permission to tell her this, "Secondly, after the creature possesses the soul, it eats away the memories created in the human blood. But if the soul overpowers the venom, they've regained self control; the beast shoved in the back of their minds."

"But if the soul gets eaten by the poison," even when they thought he wasn't listening, Hitsugaya pointed to whatever was getting its ass kicked in the distance, "you get _that_. The thing that consumed your mother, a Kaiju that's what we call, it's created from an unknown toxin. This toxin is an experiment flowing through veins, created by mankind but they are the worst of man, they're the Kuro-Burado Clan."

Hinamori struggled against the fear of what was happening. And there was no question about it; they were going to have to do what was right. Tears of hatred and dread welled into her, as she thought about what she was dragging herself into, a world filled with total obliteration.

"Hitsugaya…" her voice broke, as he turned to her from the balcony. "Help her."

"Save her!" she was screaming, and then he was gone. A black blur in the distance. It took her another moment. "No."

Her mother didn't seem to have trouble balancing herself on the railing of the balcony, as she stared her own daughter down with extremely dark chestnut eyes; to the point where the irises looked almost black. "What's wrong, child? Not happy to see your own mother?"

Purple, cracked lips curled over pearl white teeth in a snarl. With a sickening crack, the Kaiju straightened her spine. Cracking bones back into place, hopping off the railing in a fully worn out kimono. The designs would have been breath taking, if it wasn't faded in colour and torn in places, or covered in dried blood from the left breast pooling around the stomach and down the sides where it soaked around the back in dried crusts.

Ichigo grabbed Hinamori by the arm, in the nick of time just as the Kaiju extended her claws. They rolled sideways, and then Ichigo push himself up with one arm, pulling Hinamori behind him with the other. She stumbled backwards, catching her balance on the back of the couch. Hitsugaya and the others were still in the clearing.

She looked from the Kaiju and back to Ichigo who was unarmed. No weapon whatsoever. Her eyes flashed to Renji, he was as odd colour but that wasn't what distracted her. It was a long; probably shinny dagger clung to a holster on his hip.

There was no time, Hinamori snapped back the clip and pulled the weapon out. It weighed more than it looked. She couldn't possibly throw it now.

Matsumoto appeared and three shurikens flew from her fingers. Aim on as it collided with the Kaiju in the back, it hissed and stumbled forward. And then it was screaming. Hinamori dropped her weapon at the expression on its face. Those eyes were so familiar, that solid hazel.

"I'm sorry," it was her mother's voice, "that I…"

Hitsugaya was stumbling forward now, weapon drawn, and ready to attack.

"I never got to-"

"Wait." Hinamori whispered, she wasn't sure if she was talking to Hitsugaya or to her mother. She reached for the undead.

"To tell you how…" the half-dead mother was fading now. Hitsugaya had made the kill. "How much I…"

"Wait." Where her fingers were supposed to touch skin, it slipped through black mist and she was going straight through it. Straight into Hitsugaya's arms, he had thrown away his weapon when he saw her falling. He caught her, and they hurtled onto polished wooden panel. The tears she cried belonged to both herself and her mother.

**Authors Note: Rawr~ Argh!! Sorry for the mild-late update. Anyways so to say that I won't be updating till the first week of **_**February**_** cause guess what, I've got mid-term exam week! *bawls* Special thanks go to: **_**Chire**_**, **_**Heroes Never Die**_**, **_**timisnotmyname**_**, **_**penelopesays**_**, **_**IOU1Name**_**, and **_**kaykay692**_** for their alerts!! **

_**

* * *

Preview for February: **__They were never going to stop. The Kuro-Burado Clan had destroyed too many innocent lives, taken their souls and manipulated them; turned them into something deadly. The Aisu-Clan had no objections freeing those lost souls, even if it meant killing family or friends (again). They were meant to be set free, to sleep in a peaceful slumber, forever. Not to relive again as a monster feasting on blood of those in the present, to keep themselves in check. _

_Her mother was replaced with a manipulative beast, and it just waited for the right time…to consume her. _

_"And somehow along the way, between the law and lies, he fell in love."_

_It was quiet for a minute. Even the night was still. That was nice._

**The preview is only sections of chapter 15; it's not supposed to make sense! *Glomps fans to death* See you in Feb! **


	15. Intellectual Insight

Chapter 15

Hitsugaya had lost count of how many seconds ticked by as he sat there, waiting for Hinamori to open his bedroom door. Was it a half n hour? Maybe an hour.

It was true that he smelled excruciating. The others also, sweating in the same uniforms that they wore to dismember the other Kaiju, now covered in their black blood that was crumbling into flaky bits and reeked of burnt flesh. The warriors waited for the sun to rise.

"Please," Hitsugaya whispered when the grandfather clock chimed four. It was the first time he'd spoken in two hours. Matsumoto placed a tray of food by him, pushing it closer, till it bumped his foot. She sighed.

"You both need to eat something."

Her captain leaned his head against the wall, closing his eyes. He wasn't going to eat until Hinamori took her first bite. He continued his begging. "Hinamori…"

"What was I supposed to do? Wait till she lost her sanity again to kill her? Please, Hinamori…they're taking one of us. Renji is…infected. We can't do anything."

They were never going to stop. The Kuro-Burado Clan had destroyed too many innocent lives, taken their souls and manipulated them; turned them into something deadly. The Aisu-Clan had no objections freeing those lost souls, even if it meant killing family or friends (again). They were meant to be set free, to sleep in a peaceful slumber, forever. Not to relive again as a monster feasting on blood of those in the present, to keep themselves in check.

"Please understand."

The silence returned. They sat on opposites sides of a door, possibly for another thirty minutes. Sunlight poured into the living room from the kitchen's broken glass door. Matsumoto got up and walked away quietly.

Hitsugaya opened his eyes, and looked down at the dried blood that matched his uniform. In the past four hours, he finally stood up and rapped on the door. "You know that blood on your hands, Hinamori?" He wasn't sure if this was just going to disgust her more, or make her come out screaming, but it was worth a shot.

"That black substance that you got on your fingers from my hair? It doesn't come out with water and soap. But if you come with me, I can show you how to make it _disappear_."

Hinamori glared at the floor. She knew that her mourning wasn't going to bring her mother back. She had finished her grieving two hours ago. And she could not weep for a stranger forever. But she wanted the monster to come back, with the part that belonged to her mother, except that was obviously a no go.

For the first time, her mother spoke to her it was as if she were a spirit and not a person. Hinamori had sense that difference. Her mother was replaced with a manipulative beast, and it just waited for the right time…to consume her.

Hinamori couldn't deny the truth of what Ichigo explained or the sense of it at least. Her shock was gone, and she was herself again. But it wasn't in her nature to leave the past behind her.

She sighed, stretched, and collected herself before reaching for that golden knob.

* * *

Hinamori was astonished, and strangely distraught. She was afraid to take that last step into the sunlight, as if that beam of light would wash away her memories when she did. She watched as the black blood (a darker shade than their uniforms), completely disappeared- not crumble to the floor- but literally absorbed into the fabrics. The places that matted Hitsugaya's white hair slowly seemed to melt into his soft locks, until all that was on his head and skin was his rightful features, the characteristics that made up his attractiveness.

When he came back into the kitchen with his hand reaching for her, she touched him with her non-bloodied fingers. She reached around his neck. It felt strange; she wasn't sure. But nothing was there, no more sticky moisture. And he smelled amazing, he no longer smelled like his flesh was being burned off. She smiled.

Hitsugaya pulled her towards him, leading her to the sunlight and then they paused.

"Does it hurt?" she asked. Hitsugaya laughed.

Ichigo and Ikkaku were coming up the porch steps, Hinamori examined them and they too seemed clean. Then Ichigo doubled over onto his hands and knees. His voice came out rough with new agony. "Oh god, it burns!!" Then he was on his stomach, roaring with laughter. But he quickly composed himself and stalked into the kitchen, before placing a hand on her shoulder, "Sorry, I was just teasing."

Hinamori rolled her eyes. Then she too stepped into the safety off sunlight.

When the heat hit her, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before stretching her hands as far as they would go out front. She gasped.

The sensation on her bloodied fingers was painless; it tingled to be more exact. She watched her hand closely with Hitsugaya by her side, as the dried substance was fading into her skin. The sight truly was incredible, she'd never known existed.

Warm breath fanned her ear, "It's just like magic."

* * *

"So you're saying this Inoue Orihime person is a medic?" Ikkaku asked, handing his dirty tableware to Hinamori.

"No, I didn't say that," she answered over the clinking of glass plates, "she makes her own medicine from gathered herbs. She was our own personal healer."

"But I thought you just said she _wasn't_ a nurse."

The geisha sighed, slipping clean bubbly dishes into clear rinsing water. Hitsugaya came and stood by her, grabbed for a nearby wash cloth, and started slowly rubbing off the bubbles from the plates on his side, but Hinamori stopped him. "It's okay I can do it."

He just stared at her, and then frowned when Ichigo passed by saying that if she wanted to do something, to let her do it. "You're not our housemaid, either." he mumbled.

When Ikkaku's chitchat reached his ears, he exhaled a huff of air he hadn't realized he was holding in. "Madarame, she was just saying even though Inoue _might _be able to save Abarai; it might be too late."

No she definitely wasn't saying that. Beside him, she paused and then continued scrubbing a stain on her last plate, one that had been impossible to remove in the last few years. She started scrubbing harder as Ikkaku's ranting continued.

"I mean if the woman was able to keep her housemates alive then she _must _be a miracle worker, but if…Renji dies, then they win."

"Madarame!" Hitsugaya's sudden interjection had everyone dropping what they were working on. But it didn't stop Hinamori from walking out of the room, her hair fluttering behind her as she exited.

"Was it something I said?" Ikkaku's question was followed by a grunt and an "ow."

* * *

Hinamori hadn't realized she was crying, until she shut the bathroom door and saw herself reflected from three different angles. Her eyes were a pale pink around the edges. A knock at the door had her wiping the fresh tears from her cheeks.

"Can I come in?"

The silence was only ignored, so Matsumoto stepped into the bathroom, turning the lock into place. She plopped herself onto the empty space of the sink, next to her tear-streaked roommate.

"Ikkaku…" she sighed, swinging her legs in front of her as a distraction, "that guy is so full of himself, at times he just doesn't know when to shut it, you know?"

Blue eyes flicked to the side, and then she was talking again. Using her hands for emphasis. "Men…sometimes they just need guidance, and I think that's what we're," Matsumoto poked Hinamori on the side of the head, "there for. And they love us just for that, even they can't admit it." She winked. "He says he's sorry for upsetting you-"

Hinamori's sobbing and frantic head shakes cut her off. Matsumoto's eyebrows came together in concern; she placed a hand on the geisha's shoulder, patting it. "Hey Momo, what's wrong? No one blames you, you didn't do anything."

'That's the point, I can't _do _anything." The sobbing woman shook her head again, her fingers curling into fists, as her tears splashed against the counter. "Abarai-kun's suffering…and if he transforms into a monster-"

"Then we have to eliminate it," Matsumoto's answer held no hesitation, just sadness and anger. "It's what he'd want. No man wants to live to hurt their best friend. Nevertheless kill."

Hinamori closed her eyes. "Isn't there another way?"

A shrug answered her, "Who knows, if Renji lives long enough to fight it, then he'll have a couple of months of agonizing conflicts trying to keep his sanity. But the best way is to purify the toxin out of his blood stream."

"Then why haven't you?"

Matsumoto's voice wavered, and she talked through clenched teeth. "Because we don't know how without killing him, but I'm thinking that maybe Orihime," she shot Hinamori a hopeful glance. "Would."

Hinamori nodded, confidence flashing in her eyes. "We can try."

Matsumoto beamed, hugging the geisha. "I knew we could count on you, which is why the captain loves you."

The geisha blushed as she pulled away. "I wouldn't say he _loves _me."

The lieutenant laughed, waving her hand. "Please, of all the years we've been working together, I've never seen him this way." She pulled the geisha closer to her, and was now whispering in her ear. "And somehow along the way, between the law and lies, he fell in love."

"Don't you have someone you love, Rangiku-san?" The question caught the strawberry blonde between her chatting, her eyes turned dark.

"Oh sure, well…" the darkness faded, "I have them," she pulled back gesturing towards the door (the occupants behind it). "But it's more of a family affection. You know, Ikkaku and Yumichika have known each other, since forever. Ichigo has Renji, like a brother, and it's killing him to see him like that; he's having it the worst."

Her own tears were forming, "And it sucks, not being able to do anything. Now the captain has you, and I'm just here to bring them all back."

Hinamori passed a tissue to her, the woman smiled sheepishly. "Even if we feel helpless, we women can bring our men back."

* * *

Aizen and Violet were in the curtained back of their white carriage. It was barely passed midnight, and the full moon was shining on. It wasn't as chilly, but more moist. The air swarmed with fire flies.

Their chauffeur and horse were carefully trotting the speed limit. This always irritated Violet.

"You said you saw a woman with them," Aizen reminded her. "And she had the Ice Prince's scent all over her skin."

Violet nodded, "My senses are as sharp as ever."

Her master nodded in agreement, no argument there. "I'll drop you off here if you don't mind."

"No I don't."

"As always, is there anything you don't mind?"

Her purple eyes glinted, she leaned her head back taking in the fresh air. "I don't care being outside, especially during the night. It doesn't feel claustrophobic," she inhaled a deep breath of crispy air. "Everything is so clear; I think my senses just cranked up a notch." She looked up from her long lashes, "But I do mind…being away from my lord."

She closed her eyes, ready to disperse but Aizen's fingers running along the side of her face distracted her that she focused back into her skin. Her instincts didn't see it coming, the way her Kaiju did. Her normal senses were not familiar to it. The creature inside her realized what was happening before she did, just a second before Aizen's lips brushed hers.

The creature in the back of her mind, hissed.

Violet froze for half a second. No one had ever kissed her in her life. Not even a peck on the cheek. This was something she wasn't sure how to react; there was too much terror, too much confusion, and adrenaline.

Aizen's lips were warm and gentle. He pressed them lightly to hers, and then continued back and forth across her mouth.

The creature in the back of Violet's head growled loudly, as Aizen's mouth pressed down with more momentum. The Kaiju wanted to shove him away and then claw his face. The image was horrible to Violet. It was the opposite of what she was feeling from the sensation of the kiss.

"Stop," she suddenly snapped, pushing him back. "I can't think."

"It's distracting you."

"Giving me a headache," she corrected. Violet closed her eyes and dematerialized just like that. Aizen watched with deep satisfaction and slight disappointment, he was so close at releasing it.

Violet materialized farther than she wanted from the Aisu mansion, but she didn't have the concentration to materialize closer, she began to walk. Again, that blasted creature in the back of her mind, had her visualizing its claws ripping her master into pieces, it draining him to a bloody pulp.

She winced, "Stay back, you blasted brute."

It was quiet for a minute. Even the night was still. That was nice. Then as though her switch had been flipped, Violet was suddenly alert. She laughed. "I hope my little friends," she grinned, "will be happy to see me."

**Authors Note: Well hope everyone had a good time while I was gone away from this story. It's good to be back, but I might be a little bit slower on my update(s). Special thanks go to: **_**animelover24271, Megumi Yunai, The-BRAINS-of-Dilated, Xion784, Flurry of Freezing Flames, **__**Hirako Senna **_**and**_** FullMetal DK **_**for their alerts****!**

**Special thanks to _Megumi Yunai_ for being my 200th reviewer! Until next time, I wouldn't mind hearing everyone either jumping in joy or complain about me either being back or the fact that I left you guys hanging! **


	16. Coincidental Miracle

Chapter 16

Hinamori pulled Inoue through the little group without looking at them. Her friends were too busy admiring the size of the mansion. When Hinamori pulled her healer along, she was aware of Ichigo, leaning against the frame leading to the kitchen with his arms crossed, and brows furrowed in anger. A posture he wore only when he was really troubled. Matsumoto knelt beside the couch where Renji laid; in the same position they had him placed, a day ago.

His face was still red and clammy. The right sleeve of his uniform had been torn off, and the bandage was peeled back from his wound. It wasn't as horrible as anyone had imagined, just two fang marks. But the edges were a terrible shade of bluish-purple, and the skin around the bite was swollen and shiny.

Inoue stumbled and fell to her knees beside him when Hinamori dragged her down. She touched Renji's face and the skin was an odd hot and cold reaction. Inoue's elbow brushed Matsumoto's, but she barely noticed. The blonde beauty moved, but Hinamori didn't look to see what emotion was on her face, whether it was pain or guilt.

Inoue found a wet towel on his pillow and wiped it across his forehead. Renji groaned.

"You're going to be fine," she assured him. Surprised at how fierce her tone was towards this stranger. "I just need you to relax."

Renji's face twisted in anger, "I'm not sick, it's just a stupid infection."

Inoue unclipped her aid box. She fumbled until she found her homemade sleeping medicine, placing it beside her. She continued searching.

Meanwhile Hinamori ripped open the tiny square package and turned to Matsumoto. "He's going to need water."

Ichigo pivoted into the kitchen; he seemed so slow walking back to them. Without looking, Hinamori shook the package of sleeping medicine into the bowl of water, mixing it with her finger.

Carefully, pouring enough water into Renji's mouth to wash the mixture down his throat. The sound of his gulping was raw and dehydrated. Inoue was still searching, she had everything laid out beside her, and then she grumbled.

"What's wrong?" Hinamori whispered, while she touched Renji's face. It was getting cold.

"I don't have my hand light."

Matsumoto shoved a penlight into Inoue's fingers, making her flinch. Everyone was too quiet that she almost forgot that there was a whole crowd watching her. A bright light switched on, pointed at Renji's wound.

"Momo-chan, I need you to cut."

Hinamori only saw the mesu wink in the bright light, flashing across her face.

"You want _me _to open the wound?"

"Yes, it needs to be cleaned."

"But the pain…"

"The Neru Kampo numbs the body, there is no pain."

"He won't feel it?" Hinamori checked, hesitating.

Matsumoto's fingers came out of nowhere; she grabbed Renji's cheek and twisted. Nothing. No response, just his calm inhales and exhales. "You're good to go," she said.

* * *

It was very quiet. Everyone could hear Renji's breathing evening in and out. And the rest could hear the faster, tenser breathing of the men in the room. Someone shifted from one foot to the other, their feet slipping on the wooden panels. Hinamori could feel the physical weight of stares on her back. She slipped on a pair of thin fabric gloves before Inoue rubbed a sticky clear substance around Renji's wound.

"How deep?" Hinamori asked, hesitating with the point of the blade a centimetre away from the wound.

"Cut it from one bite hole to the other. Make it one sliver."

"Be careful," Matsumoto whispered as Hinamori slid the blade, slicing the skin almost elegantly, through the first hole. A thin line of black and red blood pooled down the side of Renji's upper arm.

"Keep going. Just connect them."

More black blood spilled from the wound.

Inoue wrinkled her nose, "What's that smell?"

"It's part of the poison."

Hinamori swapped places with her, when a needle and thread were pulled out, followed by a longer indicator. She covered her mouth at the foul smell of the Kaiju's blood. Only her friends wouldn't understand that wrenching stench. Yet Inoue was the only one closest enough to smell it, coming from such a small opening. She tied a long elastic around Renji's arm, and then the black blood was running faster.

Matsumoto handed over the bowl that no longer held water, and it was used to contain the flow of blood. The women watched, it was odd how red blood no longer poured from the wound. And finally that dark black turned a murky red, till it was just human blood.

"Now, hold the edges together for me, Momo-chan."

Hinamori did what she was told, but turned her head away as soon as that needle and thread came in sight. Inoue sprayed twice as much of after pain into the wound. Hinamori could feel the constant pulling of Renji's skin as it was being fused together. Lastly Inoue grabbed another needle and pushed the plunger home, filling the clear tube only half way with blood before she removed it.

Inoue placed it aside, reaching for the liquid heal, and finished spreading more than necessary along the one inch cut.

Matsumoto stared at the scar with surprise. "The wound was horrible," she explained, all the sadness gone from her voice. "We thought he wouldn't make it, that'd he'd never be the same again."

Everyone's breathing was back to normal, Renji included. The men began to gather around, surrounding the couch where their comrade laid. Matsumoto was jammed between Ikkaku and Yumichika. Hitsugaya had pulled Hinamori onto his lap, where they sat at Renji's feet.

* * *

By the time dinner was consumed, sleep had gotten to all of them. The geishas were being led to guest rooms. As they left, those remaining slouched down where they were.

"Orihime-chan," Hinamori said, a yawn interrupting her sentence. "Going to join the others?"

"Of course not," she answered. "I think Abarai-kun will wake up eventually, so someone needs to be there to check on his condition."

"You really are a miracle, Orihime," Ikkaku said, his sentence slurred.

"She's a human, Baldy, not a make-believe tool."

"Shuddap, Matsumoto. I know-"

"I'm just here to help," Inoue interrupted just as someone else was going to blabber. Someone shifted and murmured in their sleep. Matsumoto and Ikkaku were quiet for a moment. Hitsugaya hadn't said a word through anything. Yumichika was asleep, snoring lightly.

Hinamori sighed, "Thank you."

Gradually, throughout the night everyone had switched places. Inoue's head was resting on her arms by Renji's feet. Matsumoto had walked back to her room; Yumichika and Ikkau were stretched out close by each other on the floor. Hitsugaya had Hinamori curled against to him, her head on his chest with his arms around her shoulder and hip. But the whole time when everyone else was asleep. Hinamori was not.

She was tired, too. Staring at the window on the ceiling, the stars were shining bright, where before they had only been a speck of dots. Hinamori watched them sparkle, some streaking across blackness of the universe.

One at a time, her lover's arms fell away from her body. Hitsugaya rolled onto his side, moaning in his sleep. Hinamori's body wanted so badly to fall asleep in his arms, but her mind was wide awake, attentive. She was cautious on how she got up, sliding against the wooden panels, until she rolled onto her knees and crawled to the stairs.

It was late, but everyone was unconscious like a log. Hinamori tip-toed down the stairs, relieved when she got to the downstairs living room, she pushed double doors aside. She needed a melody, something soft to put her to sleep.

* * *

Violet rarely lost her focus when she was assigned a raid. But she wouldn't be able to relax the way she did every time she successfully completed a task. At least not tonight, after what just happened; Aizen had kissed her; the thought brought another shudder down her spine, even if it was just a reward for her success. Something didn't feel right. In reality it was just another motivator for her to perform her missions. The word made her smile: _Mission_. Another buzz for her usefulness.

She was at the gates now. _Home again. At last._

And then she heard something, but it wasn't footsteps.

The sound was gentle, a thrumming, ringing tempo. It rose a little higher, and then seemed to soften again. Violet paused, her forehead furrowing in concentration at the familiar tune. Her steps only paused for a moment, and then started up again, not quite as fast. Then she was shifting- no, flash stepping.

The dim-lighting from the downstairs living room glinted off her purple eyes; she blinked dismissing her night vision. Her normal vision came back to her, clear as day. Violet knew she recognized the sound of the instrument- a piano.

The dark-haired woman playing the instrument was what she recognized instantly. The woman was dressed in an expensive silk green kimono like a housemaid or…

"A geisha." Violet's breathe came out in a cloud of white, fogging the window.

The intruder couldn't believe it. She absolutely couldn't believe it. Violet was so close…to abducting the geisha at last.

When she'd approached the house, she'd merely been on a scouting mission, but she recognized the dark-haired woman from her auntie's funeral. With Hitsugaya's scent, there was no doubt; there was something about her. At any rate, she hadn't hesitated. She hadn't planned on entering the place but she was always full of surprises. Violet faded to black.

**Author Note: I'm not totally satisfied with this chapter, and I don't think I'll be satisfied with the next few chapters, either. All in all, I'm always satisfied with everyone's comments! It's thanks to you that I'm able to bear with all the continuous pages of...pointlessness. D: And this is the time when a story just needs a little bit of pointless details. I hate to write this in, but it's necessary. The next few chapters are going to be _dragged_. **

**Special thanks goes to: _Laury Uchiha_ and _xoxoxhitsuhinafan1xoxox_ for their alerts! **


	17. Angel of Destruction

Chapter 17

"Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs _bite_," a familiar voice had the hairs on the back of Hinamori's neck rising. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. She'd recognized the distant smell before, a mixture of burnt flesh overpowered by the fresh smell of a flower field, and then she forgot it in the long days of a dream. And there was a possibility, that _that_ nightmare was standing right behind her.

There was the same feeling. Hinamori was trapped inside a black hole with her intruder at the door, blocking her exit. There was no atmosphere.

Her fingers were floating above the keys, her melody at a pause.

"Finish the tune, finish it."

Hinamori did as she was told, playing her song in spite of the confusion and fear that stabbed her fingers like a million needles.

_You're going to die! _Hinamori's self conscious screamed at her. _Distract it, talk to it! _ She was going to do something real stupid, and make her nightmare come to reality. "Why are you here?" she mumbled, she winced against the shiver that shot up her back. Her hands were searching the folds of her kimono and came up with her tanto; she unsheathed its thin, shiny sharpness.

Again. She heard nothing. Was she alone? But the hairs on her arms and neck were still standing on end. Pressure was in the air, as though she could sense silent movements. Hinamori half turned, in the direction from where she heard breathing.

As expected her killer was dressed in a black robe. The figure crept away from the door, edging quietly along the wall. And then it stopped in the shadows away from the light.

"I'll ask you again, why are you here?"

Hinamori knew the answer, perfectly clear. She just wanted to hear it.

"My master has interest in you."

Hinamori rolled her eyes, "I'll try to be less interesting."

There was no laugh or voice from the intruder. Instead there was a rustling of fabric and Hinamori saw the outline of a woman's head, as she drew back her hood. Fear lanced through her legs, numbing them.

Everyone else was just a floor above, hope and adrenaline surged through her body. She threw herself into a full on sprint, but she collided into a field of flowers and burning flesh. Hinamori hadn't even seen the figure move. Her feet got knocked from under her, toppling her backwards to the carpeting, and in the same second the stranger's weight was against her lungs. Hinamori's breath came out in a gasp.

* * *

Violet had to admit the geisha was quick on her feet, but not quick enough. Her palm was big enough to cover her mouth as she twisted the woman's cheek to the side, cutting off her breath again. Pressing her cheek against the red carpet. The next couple of days were going to be intense and excruciating for her prey. Violet could feel her victim's dizziness and confusion, the geisha's head spinning as her head got pounded once into the ground, with a hard heave.

Hinamori was struggling and trying to twist so that she could work against this woman's weight. Something pinched into her neck with a sting, fingernails. And then she felt another prick of pain, in her left wrist. She felt the slightest pressure pulling at her vein with wild supremacy. Her limbs wrenched and thrashed in different directions, and the grip on her neck was the coldest of all. Her intruder's weight lifted off of her stomach, and long finger nails wrenched her chin. Hinamori got a full view of her attacker. The memory was so clear in her head, the pale face, long black hair, and purple cat-eyes under all that black.

"Violet!" she gasped.

Teeth that were supposed to be pearl white were now stained with red.

Hinamori tried to drag herself away. But Violet caught her by a handful of hair, tugging her head back to view the ceiling. Violet's long curtain of dark silk fell over her shoulder and brushed against the geisha's face.

"I'm surprised you know my name," Violet smiled, "I suppose I'm not forgotten here."

"Oh, no, you don't!" she snapped, tugging Hinamori's head as a tanto's blade glinted into her eyes. Violet grabbed the geisha by her wounded wrist and yanked. The woman cried out, in pain. Her lips were by her victim's ear.

"If Toushiro finds out about our little _accident_, I'll tear you apart. Worse than what I've left you in," Hinamori whimpered as her wrist was twisted. "I'll kill you."

The geisha fell to the ground. There was something wrong with her injured vein. It was numb, and the pulsing of blood was at an abnormal pace. Hinamori's breath was coming into her lungs too hard to be normal. Her body felt funny.

"I've only left you alive because my master wants you in one piece," a voice was distant now. "But only if you live long enough to sustain the toxic or you'll die being eaten by it. Worse. Die being murdered by those you love most."

Hinamori's body began to slow in movements. She went into unconsciousness, face down on her bloodstained rug. The others would have assumed the geisha had fallen asleep

* * *

Nanao's voice hung distantly in the injured geisha's head. Jeez, the whisper was like a fire alarm. "I have to stay with her, make sure she's not alone." The voice failed at sounding calm and soothing, and was about to crash down.

"Ugh…" Hinamori groaned, and coughed, the saliva in her mouth was gone and her throat burned. She was so hot, her body was on fire. Someone was running a hand over her forehead, brushing her hair back. She coughed again.

"Shhh," someone said. "It's okay; you're going to be okay."

Whoever was wiping her forehead was shaking.

"Orihime, I'm going to go wake them up to help."

"No…" Hinamori moaned, tried to call for Inoue but coughed again and again.

"Don't move or talk. Save your strength," Orihime said, supporting the bloody geisha's head in her lap and continued brushing wet hair away from her face with a shaking damp cloth.

"Orihime," Nanao said. "Don't cry."

"I can't, I'm- I'm scared. What do we do? She doesn't want help."

The woman looked down at their blood-bathed friend, and they felt like they were going to lose her very, very soon. Hinamori's blood had stopped running; all that was left was a pool of sticky goop.

"Nanao-chan," Hinamori murmured, turning her head and coughed once more.

"It's okay," her friend replied, "We're here to help you."

The gory geisha shook her head; "Don't say a word," her voice came out in a weak pant. She took a lungful of air; she was trembling and turning an odd reddish-white. Her words were barely audible from her blue lips, "Don't say a word to them, unless you have to."

"Momo…" Nanao's voice shook, "Don't go."

Hinamori swallowed, this time she could taste the horrible liquid in the back of her throat. But the taste was beautiful yet excruciating, as it twisted her stomach- the flavour of her own blood. She gritted her teeth against a desire that was not her own.

"Momo-chan?" Orihime asked, tears fell from her cheek and mixed with the geisha's blood.

"Fine. I'm fine," she answered and she closed her eyes for only a moment, before rolling off friend's lap. Her body seemed to move on its own as she tried to breathe around the blood that was filling her lungs. Her body tingled.

Orihime reached for her dark-haired friend, helping her to her feet and Hinamori's feet slid heavily against the carpeting. Her body felt unconnected to her mind. She licked her lips, right before Nanao ran up to her.

"Stop, it's okay." Hinamori said, "I just need to clean myself up and clear my head." She gestured to the carpet, "But you can help me put things back to normal here, just-"

"Don't tell the others, unless we have to." Inoue and Nanao said, together.

"Where are you going?" Nanao asked, sounding way shakier than she meant to be. "What if they see you?"

"Me?" Hinamori asked stupidly, not able to clear her mind around Nanao's words. Maybe it was the pain or the other gnawing sensation in her gut.

"Maybe she wants to shower in her own room." Orihime answered. Hinamori just nodded.

"Yeah, I'll go do that. See you later…" she answered between dry, panting inhales. Hinamori felt the burning pain in her wrist all the way up to her bedroom, as the fog in her vision clouded her mind.

* * *

Hinamori stood there in the shower, and let the hot water rain down all over her kimono and wash away her blood. She watched as the water pooled around her feet in red and pink till it was clear, before she stripped off her kimono and took a real shower.

She got tipsy out of the shower, slipping on a black bathrobe hung on her door. The refreshed geisha wasn't too revitalized as she stared at her reflection, something was wrong about her eyes, when she stared at herself long enough. Her irises flashed a pale pink. The whites of her eyes were becoming close to blood-shot, and worst of all her body was back to being a sauna.

Hinamori stumbled out into the darkness of the hallway, turning the corner and heading for the kitchen. Somehow she saw everything in the dark, no need for light as she opened the fridge and gulped down a bottle of ice cold milk tea. She wiped her lips away placing the empty bottle on the counter, her stomach growled and twisted and then she was throwing up into the sink.

She swallowed the last of the bile down her throat, it surprised herself with how hungry she felt, but food wasn't exactly on her mind. Just then the lights hit on, and something slipped through her lips, a sound that she didn't release; a growl.

"Hinamori?" Hitsugaya paused when he saw her, and then with a voice that was strangely hesitate, he asked, "Something wrong?"

"No," she answered too softly. "Nothing, I'm fine I just…"

Her voice trailed away as she couldn't find a proper answer. Hinamori couldn't look at him. Not when she wasn't acting or feeling like herself, her head and body was killing her.

She looked up at him then. "I just need some sleep." She faked a yawn, brushed passed Hitsugaya without another word, her stomach clenched, partially with fear but mostly hungry.

The woman didn't know that Hitsugaya was behind her, until her body gave away and she was falling forward. His arms came around her instantly, and her feet left the ground. Air whipped her face, and then her cheek pressed against pillow softness. Hitsugaya sighed heavily.

* * *

The suddenly ill woman wasn't out for long, she woke up twisting and turning, panting against the pillow, and curling against the sheets. Hitsugaya watched her every move, the way she clutched her stomach and the way her screams weren't of sadness but of agonizing pain.

Hitsugaya came into Hinamori's view as he leaned over her. She turned away from him, she didn't want him to see her tears of confusion, hurt, and craving.

His eyes narrowed on her, he wasn't exactly a hundred percent positive if she was going through what he thought she was going through. "Hinamori…did you see something?"

Her muffled scream answered him. Hitsugaya closed his eyes.

"Look at me," he whispered.

The geisha shook her head, she was crying now. Tangling her fingers into her hair.

"Hinamori, _look _at me."

More shaking and disobeying. "No…"

Hitsugaya grabbed her shoulder, turned her onto her back, until she was staring up at the ceiling. "Look at me." He straddled her legs. Her hand was muffling her screaming. Hitsugaya watched as several emotions played in her eyes, fear, anger, sadness and confusion. "You need help Hinamori and I can help you."

The prince rolled onto his side, until he pulled his lover across his chest. Her nails dug into his shirt. Her breath was panting against his neck.

"Was it a nightmare about your mother?"

Her fingers clawed into his shoulders, and her tears fell onto his neck. "I think there's something you need to know."

He was talking faster now, "Remember, that time when you told me that your parents died because of an accident and suicide," she cringed against him, "those were lies, all of them; everything that happened with your parents. They were murdered in cold-blood along with the rest of my clan. The leader of Kuro-Burado, is responsible for many crimes because he manipulates human DNA to create Kaiju …your parents were his first subjects."

Crazed with anger and frustration, Hinamori yanked the kunai from his holster and straddled his thighs. But once she was on top of him, looking into his eyes, she hesitated. Was she really going to do this? Hurt him?

Use him for nothing more than getting back at someone else for something that the Aisu-Clan didn't even commit? She started to move off him.

In a quick surge, his hand shot up grabbing her, toppling her onto his chest. As she fell on him, his arms wrapped around her.

"Do it," he said into her ear. "Make me feel your pain."

Hinamori squeezed her eyes shut and pushed his adoration from her mind because the sight of him made her want to weep. She placed a quiver hand on his shoulder and ever so slightly ran the sharpness across his right pectoral, crying out until she drowned in her own hurt.

Why was she doing this? She couldn't understand. Oh god, this was horrible. Everything was horrible.

**Authors Note: **_**Rawr…**_**school is pushing my schedule further away and I'm unable to update as frequently as I do. Pooh. It's going to be a slow and excruciating couple of months because I'll most likely be updating less and less. And I don't like it. **

**Special thanks go to: **_**44katie **_**and **_** Ohhitsloveee**_** for their alerts!**

**Super special thanks go to all those who've been supporting me all the way! **_**unformidable trust, Momo21, ThexWhitexPheonix, CallMeNicole, Fourpeg, fastXattack, Bullet2tm, Kaishi-chan,**__** Real Heroes Never Die, Xion 784, **_**and **_**jazzmin92**_**! There are no words that I can use to express my gratitude to all who've reviewed! So I'll give you guys a cookie and a glomp!! And of course more future updates. :D See you all in the upcoming warmer seasons! **


	18. Time Repeats Once More

_**Glossary of Terms in Geisha Girl****  
**_

**Aisu-Clan- **A reformed and specialized group of seven highly-skilled fighters under the command of the last descendant in the ice clan, Hitsugaya Toushiro. They are under orders to protect the city citizens from the expansion of Kaiju. As a result of classified training, each possesses supernatural abilities in speed, senses and combat.

**Kuro-Burado Clan**- Once old allies and is now enemies with the Aisu-Clan under the leader of Aizen Sousuke. They are the subject of a legend that destroyed the Aisu-Clan and possibly many others. They held a very thin-lined treaty with the Aisu-Clan. They are the creators of a supernatural creature called Kaiju.

**Kaiju** - A supernatural creature developed in the bloodstream by an unknown black toxin that target human blood for survival. Lives within a host by manipulating their minds and taking over their soul by eating their memories, thus they can command the host' body. With fresh blood, the Kaiju becomes stronger and with it being stronger their host's senses triple in strength. Kaiju usually take the form of their host and despite being dismembered, can only be killed by removal of the heart, freeing the original soul later when burned. In the early stages of becoming a Kaiju, the host experiences extricating pain/conflicts but if the host is strong-willed, they can prevent themselves from being controlled or they can get the venom extracted from their blood stream. (Extraction in the bloodstream has a high chance of killing the host or infecting them farther, it takes extreme professional skill). Over time, if a host is emotionally conflicted, they are vulnerable to the change. Kaiju smell like burnt flesh. If a Kaiju succeeds in taking over their host; mind and body, they can do nothing but harm.

**Kyujo**- An imperial party and head of clans, they give orders to those in second command and occasionally get involved on the case.

* * *

Chapter 18

The sudden sight of lifeblood had Hinamori's mind shattering and her legs running. Hitsugaya watched as the geisha jumped and turned away from him, disappearing to the bathroom, slamming the door with a bang.

The dagger dropped into the sink, clinking loudly before leaving the woman in complete solitude. Hinamori glanced at her reflection, as she braced herself on the edge of the sink. Her eyes flickered wildly back to the line of red running down the black blade, she gritted her teeth against a disgusting desire.

_Drink it. Feed me. _A voice in the back of her head, her other self; commanded her. Her fingers reached numbly for the weapon, and before her eyes knew what was happening, her body was moving on its own. Bringing the weapon to her mouth.

Hinamori ran a slender finger, gently across the edges; the thick liquid had no difficulty sticking to her. Again, she wasn't in control of any movements. Something in her conscious was smiling with desire. And then the world exploded.

She stopped smelling blood after she licked the blades clean. The taste of her lover's blood pushed her hunger from her mind so that the sweetness was what remained. She was surprised to see that her fingers were dark and sticky with blood. But was feeling better now that she was suddenly herself again, her thoughts were lucid. There was no nasty gnawing in the back of her mind or in the pit of her stomach. Just clarity.

It was no surprise that Hitsugaya was there, standing by the door after she cleaned herself, pressing a cloth to his chest. "Are you okay?"

Hinamori waited for something to twist her insides. Nothing. She looked up at the injured prince then. "Yeah, sorry I was just remembering something."

Even if Hitsugaya knew she was lying, he didn't show any sign of noticing. Since he pivoted and walked away, and fell back into his black sheets. A look of guilt in his eyes as he spoke, "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I just thought you'd need to know, after all this time."

The geisha chewed her lip, another lie slipping between them. "I guess I'm just shaken by how little knowledge I have of the past."

Suddenly her lover's voice turned serious, "Hinamori, listen to me. When people come back especially the ones from the past, they might not be the same. Some of my friends say they're better now, and they are, but they're not _normal_, and they never will be."

The woman winced, because now she couldn't ignore the time, seconds were ticking like a countdown. Something changed her, both mentally and physically. It was almost a metallurgical process deep inside her soul; a darkness had already begun to form. A new sharp evil creation, always hissing and growling in the back of her mind. She could feel it, sucking her down a dark corridor. Taking her away from all this freedom and life. Her will power was the thick curtain keeping the creature from springing out of her resisting body.

She wasn't normal. She was changing…like the rest of the world.

"I want to believe that there might be a way to save them." _To save you from me._

Hitsugaya nodded once, "That's what worries me."

"Don't you fear pain?" she asked.

"No. But losing you scares me to death."

"I'm too tired to talk about this anymore," Hinamori mumbled. She didn't want to listen to his sentiments. He was thinking too much about her that he was forgetting himself.

"Wait." Hinamori reached the door to the hall, when Hitsugaya continued, "Do you want to stay here tonight? You don't seem like yourself."

With her hand on the knob, she opened the door and looked over her shoulder. "Until I'm feeling better, and your wound is healed, I'll go back to my room for now."

She ran back to her room, shut herself in darkness. She felt sick, and chewed her lip. She was going to have to keep her distance, after what happened tonight. She couldn't bear to hurt him again. But oh god…the taste of his blood drove her other self crazy. In the aftermath she was ashamed, and tears stung her eyes to rain down her cheek.

_ Tomorrow_, she told herself as she began to drift away. _If Violet doesn't come for me, I'll search for her. _

Right before she met darkness, she swore she felt a presence right outside her window as the night seemed to watch her fall. Hinamori lost herself in shadows and tried to think of nothing at all.

* * *

"No, Ichigo. Don't talk like that." Rukia begged, Ichigo's pain was so much worse than his anger. "So don't feel this way…I'm sorry."

"I can't do anything; I can't protect those important to me, or heal their wounds."

He pulled Rukia onto his bed, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into the embrace so his hair brushed against her cheek. "Your friend needs you."

Being with Rukia was different, a good different because Ichigo could be himself. All the barriers shielding his emotions slipped away. And when they kissed or touched, it was a deep and gentle sensation. Too deep to concentrate, but the world continued revolving around them, at a much faster rate. Ichigo realized that the woman in his arms changed his world, made him into a man who was too gentle to be killing, but he was as strong as human could be. It all began on one strange day in the summer.

"I'll be returning to the shop, tomorrow."

His arms stiffened, holding Rukia closer, his anger and frustration returning. "No one's asking you to leave, Rukia."

"No. Either are you, it's my choice. And I'm not going to invade when I'm not welcomed here."

The distressed fighter curled his finger in his lover's hair, tilting her head back, and he kissed her along with his frustration. Rukia was gasping for air when Ichigo's breath was panting against her ear. He moaned her name with misery and pain.

"I can't stay. If I stay…if, if I spend the night, I…I don't know if I could leave tomorrow. I'm not meant for you, we belong with our worlds."

Ichigo ignored the truth in her words, ones that also described the forbiddances of their fellow companions in the room down the hall. Rukia tore his arms away from her waist, but when she moved, she was suddenly on her back; Ichigo's face inches from hers. "Look, maybe you just need to take your mind off right and wrong."

Rukia gulped a lump down her throat, "Like what?"

Ichigo's eyes already told her what she feared. "Like the night and us."

* * *

Renji had a sudden memory pop into his head: His old love interest, standing in the door way of a room that Matsumoto used to share with her, back when the two women had twin beds and white walls. Her dark hair would wave after her shadow, as it stretched down the length of the hall with every step she took, to the dark side.

"Meet you on the other side," she'd whisper, lick her lips and whip her hair. That was always the last thing Renji would see before he fell asleep. The woman was right; he'd find her on the other side. In the deepest, darkest parts of a man's nightmare, yet he could never reach her, sometimes call out for her, but there was always that twisting feeling that darkness might be the only place anyone could find her.

There was always this thing with her, besides the fact that she was infatuated with herself. V had always been _aware _that you could never know what the world was trying to tell you, _but _that was only if you paid attention every second.

The story goes like this: Tender yet strange nights where two complete opposites would just walk down the empty streets, never stopping. Just talking. Renji was the only one who would go out past one am because V was the one who loved to do this.

That was Violet; well that was what Renji understood of her. She divided the world into black and white, never with gray or the stuff in-between. You'd either be someone or no one at all. But she never did that with Renji and the others, they were always the best or perfect. V just _knew _that. Until…

"It doesn't matter what they think, it's because _they _don't know you…but I…I do." His reddish-brown orbs regarded her with innocence and purity. "I know that you spend hours in front of your reflection just trying to make those perfect features even more perfect than they already are. You've cried yourself at night, when one of us has gotten hurt, even though you're the one that helped us most in the end. You save us. You act like nothing's wrong when you bleed to the floor. But Violet, you judge people because they judge you. You're not perfect. And because you're not perfect, you care."

* * *

_Few years ago._

V had messed up that night, they were all fighting. Winning. Until something caught her by surprise, no one had seen it coming towards her. They were too busy to notice that un-dead Kaiju catch her by the ankle, yanking it hard till the bone snapped. She went down, screaming.

The enemy had won that night, even though in the end all of creatures were killed. They had won, destroyed Violet's soul and made her one of their own. In the aftermath, her companions watched her bleed out her sanity as she cursed.

"_I'm so wreckless." "I should have known it was coming." "This is so stupid."_

The others had assured her that, she was going to be okay. That none of it was her fault, that she'd made a mistake.

_"No! I didn't make a mistake. I never miss a step."_

This was her, always in denial. Too self-absorbed, she wouldn't let them touch her. Her emotions got the best of her, but not close enough for her to change. "Don't touch me," she'd say. "I'm fine."

"Violet." Renji would slowly reach for her, the same way he'd done so many times, when her denial got the best of her, she'd hide her face when she felt so vulnerable.

"Stay away from me," she'd whisper. "Don't."

But she'd already be leaning in, closing her eyes as her forehead hit Renji's chest and with her hand she'd covered the hurt. As if she'd be able to reach into her own chest and rip out the weakness in her heart.

Violet had done something to him: an intentional kill, moved with the night, the worst torture. "_Renji, I love you too. Just not in the same sense._"

He didn't know what she meant that day, when she walked out the door. Just like that. But now he understood. Those unreciprocated feelings was the only thing that left her with him. She was out there somewhere; she'd taken her own route, as life went on without her.

* * *

Renji was still in memory lane when he suddenly snapped back to the sound of Matsumoto crying. He threw himself off the couch, oh too fast. He went back down; an empty stomach and head rush could give you a whiplash. His head was still spinning as he got to his feet and stumbled to the blonde reading a paper taped to Hitsugaya's door.

"She left. She can't just leave. She'll _die_."

Their guests were still asleep, when the men read it; it was completely down to the point. Hinamori hadn't wasted a minute on any word she wrote.

_Everyone,_

_I'm sorry about this. It's too dangerous for you, this is for the best. Please understand. Don't come looking for me. I'll miss you all. _

_H.M_

No, none of them understood. Any of it. But she was already gone, working a little magic of her own... vanishing.

**Authors Note: D-R-A-G. T.T. I know it makes absolutely no sense to put a glossary half way into a story, but I just wanted to clarify the _significance_ of those terms to those who still don't understand who/what those people have to do with the story! Anyways I've got nothing else to say, either than I'd like to hear your thoughts after three weeks. Special thanks go to: **_**Thalaba, superfan8, Lizziielala**_**, _EdsAnira_ and _cherryooxx _**** for their alerts!!!_ Till next time! _  
**


	19. Change and Change Again

Chapter 19

The drapes were drawn but the window was opened, Ichigo sighed and shook his head. "So what are we going to do?"

The men glanced around the unoccupied room; everything was untouched; left in the exact same position. Matsumoto came out of Hinamori's walk in closet, empty handed with a worried look on her face.

"Momo took the black cloak that the Kaiju was wearing when it possessed her mother…I didn't even realized she kept it."

No one said anything for a second, thinking about the possibilities of their most recent roommate's disappearance. When Hitsugaya did speak, everyone was surprised by his words. "It's my fault."

Everyone turned to their leader, "What do you mean?"

"Last night, I talked to her and I might have said some things…about her parent's death, and that Kaiju powers changes people and it makes them…not normal."

"It's a sad fact," Renji said, "You're right about that and I understand that now. I also understand the pain the victims had to endure, even only for a short moment."

"What do you mean?"

"Momo has been through a lot," Matsumoto explained. "Being with us, it's changed her. I mean, don't pretend like you didn't notice how she was acting when something from our world corrupted hers. Our powers, the Kaiju, reappearance of dead people; these things don't belong in her memory. "

The men stood there and stared at the strawberry-blonde for a long time without saying anything, until Ikkaku sighed and said, "See, that's what I meant by defying the law, the woman didn't know what the hell we were doing. Instead of protecting her, we brought her into a world that she didn't need to understand."

Hitsugaya was frowning as he walked to look outside into the darkness, when he drew back the drapes to close the window, he walked smack into a wall of ice.

* * *

The cloak Hinamori wore was soaking wet, but somehow she was completely dry. It was odd, that she wasn't frightened by the feeling that someone or something was watching her, or how the darkness no longer scared her. Was it because some part of her mind was darker? Stronger? Her senses were unbelievably sharp, she could hear things miles out of sight, see the birds and animals lurking in shadows of the forest.

The time it took her to get to her destination was a half n hour faster. Somehow her pace was faster. The late December night was still cold and lifeless, and it was making a half-hearted attempt to snow.

She barely reached for the paper-mache door when it slid open, and Rukia was there greeting with a questions. "Momo? How did you get here? Are you alone? Where's Ichigo?"

The cloaked figure just stared at her old friend while she continued her ranting of questions, until she came to a sudden stop. "Momo?"

Hinamori stumbled forward and grabbed onto the edge of the wooden frames of the entrance. "Kuchiki-san…I need your help."

* * *

No one spoke for what seemed like a long time, but was probably only a few tense seconds. Seeing Violet after four years had left the warriors glued to the floor. She was still V but was corrupted on a whole new level.

When Violet materialized into view, Matsumoto almost screamed. Until she realized who it was, she blinked, even though she'd been gawking at Violet. Her teary-eyed shock had been replaced by anger. No one had _seen _their old roommate walk through the window, it was only when Matsumoto and the men were standing in the middle of what used to be Violet's room up until four years ago. No one stepped foot into the purple room ever again when her death almost happened, and then she got infected. Her betrayal changed everything, completely.

"It's rude to stare, even when it's at someone as memorizing as me," Violet said flashing a blinding smile with a pair of sharp canine teeth.

"What is the f-ing hell are you doing here?" Matsumoto asked.

"Aww…I thought you'd miss me, Ran-chan," her evil smirk was replaced with fake innocence when she fluttered her long lashes. The older woman scowled at the old nickname in disgust.

"This place no longer welcomes you," Kira said, finally recovering his ability to speak. Someone's weapon glittered in his peripheral vision.

"Enough." Hitsugaya's voice, sounding uncharacteristically flat and emotionless, was standing closest to their intruder, when he turned on her. "We had a deal, we'd stay out of each other's business and property, and we wouldn't slay each other."

"Oh please!" his lieutenant's voice, like her face, was just plain blood chilling. "They possessed her soul," she glared, "not like she had one in the first place, since she's half dead."

Violet narrowed her eyes, "I'm not dead, just different."

Hitsugaya felt an odd recognition on the way her voice changed when she said _different_. The undead woman still looked and acted the same. She was Violet again, up until she'd lose control of herself to the darkness, and release an indifferent kind of evil. Her humanity would almost be completely lost, and she wouldn't be her self-centered self when the creature rose close to the surface. The town was turning into a pack of nasty undead souls lurking in the night, surviving on blood to keep their Kaiju's intact.

Violet had almost become one of them, but her will power was all that helped her retain any recognition of herself, it still wasn't enough. Her Kaiju's obsession with her powers was what made her crave…something more.

And just like that, Hitsugaya's recollection of the past vanished, and he was back to reality.

"How _did_ you get back on property without setting the alarms off?"

"I walked through the back gate, and materialized on the balcony before invading." Violet rolled her eyes, "As long as my soul had a connection with those of my past, I can always come back whenever I want, without you knowing."

Her voice was less guarded and more real this time, "Even if souls possessed by Kaiju aren't human, anymore."

"I don't believe that," Ichigo crossed his arm's over his chest, "We encountered one of you not too long ago, she was close..." his eyes flicked to his companions. "To one of us, even though there's a Kaiju in you. You're still a human, just not a _normal _one."

Violet scowled in denial disbelief, "Again with all the sentiments, it's still doesn't make me like you better, you're such a softie strawberry-head."

Restraining herself from ripping that dark hair from her old roommates head, made Matsumoto want to explode, she stalked over to where Hitsugaya was standing and towered over the never changing head of her petite ex roomy. "Your personality still hasn't changed, and it's not going to stop me from tearing that phony smile from your pretty little face. "

Violet snorted, smiling like someone from miss congeniality before walking around the blonde beauty towards her old make-up stand. The desk top was covered with the departed geisha's multiple cosmetics.

"What?" Her purple eyes in the mirror, met with her ex-leader's compassionate, yet mystified ones. Her heart skipped a beat at the unspoken seconds and the familiar connection with her old love interest. She looked away first, grabbed a tissue then went back to work at admiring herself; all the while ignoring the fact that her hands were shaking.

Feeling utterly perplexed and uncertain of what to do next, Hitsugaya picked up where from Ichigo's statement had brought back some part of Violet's humanity. "Kurosaki, what was your point when you said that she wasn't a _normal_ human?"

"I'm not exactly normal myself," the orange-head admitted. "My combat ability is reinforced when my vizard is brought forth. It can barely tell what friend or foe is, but I can see and feel everything it's doing when it's out there. I'm not exactly saying that I have a mutual understanding with my vizard, but as long as I still have by abilities and can come back to reality; I think V can to."

Their invader turned from the mirror and sat on the little stool close by. She curled a strand of hair around her pale and perfectly flawless index finger and shrugged.

"Doesn't mean shit to me. Yes, I can still read and manipulate minds of the ordinary world." Her finger tangled in her hair, "Not like I care."

Everyone examined their never changing foe, seeing through her act. Despite her already pale skin, she was whiter and her eyes flashed an ugly faded purple in her irises, the first sign that illuminated when her Kaiju might spring out of control.

Yeah, she totally looked like a raged vampire straight out of the _Twilight _series, just maybe the ones who were a little more, batshit crazy.

Violet met her old companion's stares separately with a steady one of her own and let go her mask of arrogance, and sinister act. Then sounding more like herself again, she said, "There's going to be a world filled with darkness, blood, and hatred, the creatures of night are rising."

Hitsugaya didn't look away from Violet's conflicted purple orbs because he saw what he already knew. There was only one thing that would cause the truce between the Aisu-Clan and the Kuro-Burado to shatter.

When Violet spoke, everyone felt the world crashing down in splinters of glass. "The end of everything is coming because she's almost there. Hinamori Momo's death is about to happen."

**Authors Note: Gah! Sorry for the delay. Until next time! Special thanks to:**_** golden-eyedwolf842, PeNnY AsAkUrA Li, Hitsi-lover, dragonryder7, starbluedragongirl **_**and **_**CallMeNicole **_**for their alerts!!! Hope to see everyone again soon! I appreciate the support! **


	20. Love and Lust

Chapter 20

Matsumoto Rangiku lunged forward, her fist colliding into her old roomate's jaw. But it only snapped the woman's head to the side, and Matsumoto's knees gave away and she was cradling her broken hand, groaning. Everyone sometimes forgot that the infected were always fast healers; a simple hit to the face wouldn't even leave a mark.

There were times- when things got bad- like at this very moment, where Matsumoto face would change. Like she couldn't believe what she had just done, to someone important.

Violet saw the emotions flash across Matsumoto's face, felt an old ping of her own. "I'll let myself out."

"Violet, you're not going anywhere."

Too late, she was already disappearing. "I told you when you said I wasn't making the right choice, that you had your chance. You're still wrong because you're reliving the exact same mistake. I loved you then. Now you love and want someone else; I wasn't enough for you, never was and never will be." Purple eyes were filled with the same expression of rejection. "You know where to find me, Toushiro. And when you do, we'll be enemies."

Everyone watched her disperse in thin air, watched an old friend vanished out of their lives. Everything about her was exactly the same, just like four years ago.

* * *

The next morning when Hitsugaya woke up he hadn't dreamed at all, not one perfect image. He rolled onto his side burying his face into his pillow, where a scent still lingered.

Everything about him was just a wide open space, of nothingness. Every mission he'd ever been assigned was always easily dealt with, he'd protect the town and it'd regain its own peace. But this was different. This was about someone who opened his eyes to the meaning of sacrifice.

He couldn't stop thinking, so he got out of bed, threw on a robe, and went down the hall to the kitchen. He pulled open the new patio door and stepped outside onto the back porch.

Now Matsumoto joined him on the railing. She was in a black robe, a faded gray shirt underneath, and her feet were bare. Her hair was messy bundle on top of her head, a few chopsticks stuck in here and there to hold it in place. And they stood there for a few minutes, just staring across the open courtyard to the forest out back.

"I thought she'd tell me anything," Matsumoto said. "But I feel like I should have known something was going on."

She sighed again, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "She probably didn't want you to be so overprotective of her."

Hitsugaya shrugged, "I guess." He continued to glare out into the horizon; the sun seemed to be rising so much slower than usual. He watched as his companion picked her nail, and then said, "Did she tell you what was on her mind recently?"

The blonde frowned, straightened her back and stretched. "I think we got caught up in protecting her. We just thought everything was perfect for her, if she stayed. But things weren't always as easy as she made them seem. Sometimes, she lost herself."

When the two walked back into the kitchen, the phone was ringing. No one else seemed to be awake, so Hitsugaya picked it up.

"Hello?"

There was a silence, with just a bit of buzzing. "Hello?"

Matsumoto stopped what she was doing. "Who is it?"

"I don't- Hinamori? Is that you?"

Matsumoto was coming closer, tell him to give her the phone; to let her talk, but he held a hand to keep her distance. But the only sound on both ends of the phone was silence.

"Hinamori. I don't care if you won't talk to me again, but you just have to _come back_." His voice dropped and he whispered something inaudible for Matsumoto. She screamed the geisha's name, all her sadness and fear of the last twelve hours echoing across the room. "Come _home_!"

Click. And she was gone.

Everything was quiet after that, with just the sizzling and popping of food every few minutes. It was getting bright outside, and breakfast was far from finished. Kira came in oblivious, and grabbed something from the counter, watched the sky for the first sign of another snow less winter.

The truth was, he was trying not to be so obvious at the loss. The loss of two female occupants, sleep, or the pain on the two early birds in the kitchen after the phone call. It was easier to just play along as if nothing happened and wait for that first sign of hope.

* * *

"Momo," Nanao said. Her voice, once concerned, then scared, was now bordering on tears. "Tell us."

"Maybe this isn't the time," Rukia told her, continuing to file a nail. "She-"

"I'm fine." Hinamori mumbled.

Rukia looked at her, her expression softening. "Of course you are," she tried not to sound sarcastic. "But we're worried about you. Ever since Inoue healed your wound, and you're back to your old self, you've been miserable."

"I'm fine," the tired geisha said again, snappier this time. Her two friends looked at her. "Really," she lied.

The way Nanao was staring meant that she was thinking and that she had another theory. Hinamori just waited, her four eyed friend blinked, her eyes widened and then her mouth formed in a 'oh.' Hinamori felt it coming. "Oh wow."

Knew it.

Nanao left the room and suddenly she was back with a thin black book. "What?" Rukia looked at the book then back to the other geisha when Nanao gave her _the _look. Rukia's hand went to her cheek and then she said. "Lord."

Anyone could recognize that hardcover romance novel, with its boring white bolded title: _Bittersweet. _It was a novel that almost every woman in the town had time to read because it was just everywhere, under the boring title was the back of a woman with her hand extended to a mirror, but her reflection wasn't of herself but of a man's shadow. Almost all the female population knew what the book was about: Two people who can't be together, but desire each other. Forbidden love fuelled by secret passion.

Hinamori rolled her eyes. Nanao, across from her, nodded. "You and Hitsugaya-sama have unrequited love."

"No," was the answer.

"_Yes_. He wants to be with you, he was waiting for a time to do it in his own way. But considering this morning, he had to let you know how he felt."

Nanao just stared at her, waiting for her to realize that she had eavesdropped on another line at what Hitsugaya had to say, of course she had an excuse: she had to use the phone but it was occupied by Hinamori who hadn't said one word.

"So what happened?" Rukia asked.

"Nothing," Hinamori lied. "He asked me to come home, that he didn't care what I did as long as I went back."

"Liar," Nanao told them. "You didn't say anything to him, and now he can't call back because these phones don't have traces on them _and _what were you _thinking_ Momo?"

"What was I supposed to say to him?!" Hinamori yelled. "It's too late now that I left. I can't go back and tell them what happened to me, they'll be furious."

"It's never too late," Rukia said. Nanao nodded.

"I don't know what to say, even though I know they'd give me a second chance. I mean, what should I say…"

"Well what was the last thing he said to you, before you hung up?" Rukia asked, still left hanging. Two pairs of eyes were both looking at the blushing geisha now, staring into her private life, maybe even her heart. But as she looked at their expectant faces, there was so much to tell. She might as well start now.

"He told me he loved me."

* * *

That night, Hinamori couldn't sleep. What was she thinking about? Hitsugaya, of course. She touched the silver chain around her neck, feeling an icy tingle. She found the necklace on her pillow one morning. This wasn't right. Why was Hitsugaya affecting her so much?

Her thoughts spiralled with confusion in her mind. Had her mother been turned into a monster as a penalty of how many rules the Aisu-clan had broken? No, the clan wasn't to blame for her mistakes, if the geisha hadn't been disowned by Chihiro due to her lack of concentration, she and Hitsugaya wouldn't have met and then he wouldn't have fallen in love. But there was _something_ more between the two of them, or at least Hinamori felt there might be.

The geisha wondered if the connection she and Hitsugaya shared would have been just as strong, if the prince had discovered all the stuff in her past through her own lips; instead of having him protect her because of his parents' will. Thinking to herself, the geisha decided, it was unlikely.

They belonged in different worlds; Hitsugaya wouldn't be the last of his clan if he wasn't dependable. Hinamori remembered the way he'd take her hand and twine his fingers through hers and the way his lips felt every time they kissed. His passion, pain, and love always…always overpowering her own.

The prince gained her trust, the truth and everything in-between because he was always there by her side.

Out of the blue, Hinamori realized that she needed him. She'd known the feeling of being bruised, alone and confused…but she never understood the true meaning of loss. She needed to know that she hadn't lost her protector…the one person who truly loved her, even if she didn't deserve it.

She was tired of losing people. She wasn't going to watch anyone walk out of her life, any longer.

**Authors Note: Well Hitsugaya loves Hinamori! And she _needs_ him but she hasn't realized her true feelings for him just yet! **

**Special thanks go to: **_**naruhina171, KuroKawaiiKagura, momo n' lil shiro, mmmbopjonasgirl, frozen ice cream,**_** and **_**StrawRabbi**_** for their alerts!! Until next time! **


	21. Business: It's A Wonderful Lie

Chapter 21

By the time Hinamori's wound was temporarily mending into an interesting scar, a week had passed, since she arrived at the shop, no one had heard from the Aisu-Clan. The first call had come from Ichigo a day ago; he obviously hadn't asked Rukia about her friend's whereabouts, since the clan assumed that the geishas were oblivious to her being a runaway.

Hinamori found her old journal, her last entry was entered months ago and now it was lined with a thin layer of dust. There was nothing worthy of being entered into it, nothing that was meaningful, real or true. Instead her dreams were as dull as her life, consisting mostly of her lying around on her old futon, and the whole time the clock was stilling counting down, minute by minute, hour by hour, continuing she'd wake up tired and frustrated as if she never got any real sleep at all anymore.

* * *

"Well, Hitsugaya-taichou I was surprised to hear your call," Ukitake's voice was calm and polite, "are things well?"

The prodigy stared at his superior. The man's head was cocked to the side, his expression serious. "Fine." He lied.

The man nodded, sympathetic, and folded his hands in front of him on the table and his expression changed before Hitsugaya continued, "But the truth is, I'm here on business."

Hitsugaya had a sudden flash of Hinamori standing in the sunlight, in one of her many outfits, a dark curtain of hair floating in the breeze; she was wearing that angelic smile, the one completely hid the fact that she felt bitter and beaten.

Ukitake nodded, "Nothing astonishing, I suppose. Is there something you want me to look into? Or possibly there's something you need to report that's out of the ordinary? I'll do the best I can to help an old comrade."

"I want an antidote- for a toxin. I don't know if it needs to be specific to the infection, or if something general would work."

"Toushiro." Gentle light brown eyes widened. "You must be very problematic; I've never seen you like this."

It was true; he was experiencing a major loss of everything.

"What particular toxin are we discussing?" Ukitake asked when he didn't speak again.

This was the hard part. "The unknown-" His superior's expression turned emotionless with disbelief, "It's not who you think it is, this person isn't one of _their_ kind but she's not part of our league either. She's human."

"She's a commoner?"

"She's the daughter of Yui and Fujitaka; they were old friends of my parents. Aizen seems to have an interest in her and I just need to know that something is going to protect her from the toxin, _if_ she's ever attacked."

Suspicious brown orbs were searching his face. "You'll be stripped of your title." Hitsugaya looked back at him with hostility, determined to cover his infidelity, just when the older captain asked, "No special ties to this woman and any broken laws?"

What Hitsugaya locked away was now surfacing, a bubble of anger, frustration and sadness, mixed with so many images from the past week: His lieutenant avoiding all the things that reminding anyone of the departed, Ichigo running his hand over his face, closing his eyes along with his frustration because everyone knew that Rukia would be upset about Hinamori, yet the clan couldn't involve them. It was too risky.

"Don't say that unless you want a trial." He spoke dangerously calm. "Or you can tell the department about Aizen…Aizen is on the move." Hitsugaya murmured pushing his chair back hard, and began to walk away.

"I've known you for a long time," the older man began in a disappointed voice, "And I believe you when you say you haven't broken any laws, but I think it is best we walk away from this conversation."

"I'm sorry I even asked," Hitsugaya said flatly, turning away from his superior. Renji and Matsumoto were whispering in the next room, their eyes travelled from one to the other to their superiors. They ignored them.

"I can't stand here any longer dwelling on some treaty. Aizen has destroyed too many lives to count."

He left.

Matsumoto sighed, reaching up to flick her curls. "This is for the citizens, okay? I promise this'll be the last. Trust us."

Ukitake stared at the lieutenants. Those two words had gotten them into more trouble than he cared to remember, the head-commander wouldn't be letting them off so easily. He hesitated on the thought.

"Okay, fine," Matsumoto said quickly. "Do what the royal clans are meant to do."

"And what's that?" Renji said.

She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. She turned and smiled at him.

"Save the world," she said, standing up and taking a deep breath. Her determination was surfacing. "Kick ass."

After years of war and discussion about stopping this dilemma once and for all, no one had wanted this more than that very moment. But still, there was a price.

"Kick ass," Renji repeated with a nod and smirk, as if it would be that simple, watching as night was coming, followed closely by the moon. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

He was standing next to the black stallion, arms crossed, looking down at the horses's leg, frowning. He was in a long-sleeved black kimono with a white kosode underneath, completed with a black hakama tied at the waist by a white sash along with tabi and waraji footwear. His hair was orange, a mass of thick spikes, and he wore an oversized sword wrapped in bandages on his back. She knew he was royalty from the crest hanging out of his right pocket, yet he didn't look like anybody.

As she passed he looked up watching her, staring just as she passed out of sight. She paused and took a step back and suddenly he was just _there_. Up close his eyes were a deep brown. She realized she was staring but somehow she couldn't stop.

"Are you lost?" he asked suddenly, blinking once.

"Uh," she spoke. "No."

Someone was shouting in their direction, the woman was waving her hands in the air. Inoue.

"I'm coming!" she called back. She glanced quickly at the strange guy beside her and he was smirking.

"Well," she whispered just as fast, and was stepping around a building. "I should go."

"Okay," the man said nodding. "You should get back to work, geisha."

Her head felt fuzzy and strange, and she knew the man hadn't meant to sound rude, so instead she said. "It's not geisha. It's Rukia. Kuchiki Rukia."

"Wait," she said, and he stopped backing away around the corner. His hands were in his pockets. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Ichigo," he said. "Kurosaki Ichigo."

He turned his back and walked away, leaving Rukia to stand there and watch him go. When she walked into the shop, her co-workers were already waiting, sipping drinks. And then someone tapped her shoulder, she turned back out the doorway.

"You got change for five?" Ichigo asked, holding a bill folded between two fingers.

"Hold on." She said, but Inoue already walked by and slipped coins into her fingers. Ichigo smiled and looked around.

"Nice tea shop." He said, Rukia couldn't tell if he was joking. He took her hand and slipped the coins from her fingers replacing it with the paper bill, and nodded.

"See you again, Rukia."

"Okay," she answered softly and watched Ichigo disappear, step by step, out of sight.

Hinamori remembered the encounter when she watched from the window, of course she didn't know what they were saying (until now) but Rukia would spend about an hour each night on the phone talking with him, after that fateful summer day. There'd be an _I love you_ and then she'd blush; Rukia hadn't cared that Hinamori was there. And finally the gushy exchange would end and the love-sickened geisha would be grinning and sighing like a moron.

"Ah, Momo," Rukia said, once day rolling on her futon. "Someday I hope you'll understand and that this will happen to you, at least once."

"Don't count on it," she answered with a roll of her eyes.

And that time, she really wasn't counting on anything. Hinamori remembered the first time Hitsugaya kissed her; it'd taken her by surprise and her mind had told her to breathe, open up and be free and let go.

* * *

One night Rukia had informed Hinamori that Ichigo was dropping by for a visit. There was obviously going to be questions. That night she took a bath; afterwards she looked at herself in the mirror: her hair was all wrong and her eyes were different. Ichigo would be downstairs soon. Of course he would. Wanting to see Rukia but also to see if Hinamori had informed the shop, seven days of disappearance was too long to bear. An hour passed, no one arrived. Hinamori tried to fall asleep but what if Ichigo came upstairs and found her in the bed, instead she tucked her knees against herself, trying to fight the fear and little bit of hope of being caught.

Why was the Aisu-Clan so persistent? Why was she hiding?

Hinamori had no idea why being with Hitsugaya was so wrong. As far as anyone could see, she had absolutely no contact with him, and had refrained from answering anything in relation to him.

She remembered what Rukia had told her. _"This is wrong, what we're both doing. They know it. We know it." _ Ichigo and Rukia had tried to break their ties; they told each other so many times and each time was never the last.

Hinamori almost drifted off to sleep still clutching her knees to her chest in the dark, when a figure was illuminated by a candle outside her paper doors, its shadow flickering across the wall, as the door opened. Being discovered had sent her heart pounding a million beats per minute.

"Hey, you." Fear or hope? She didn't know anymore. When her visitor appeared, she was never ready for what came next.

**Authors Note: I don't know if it's you or me, but I'm kinda excited as to what I'm supposed to write next. Special thanks go to: **_**britneyallen1990, revolverhades12,**_ **and **_**hell's angel heaven's devil**_ **for their alerts!** **Hope to see you all again soon! **


	22. The Forbidden Which We Sacrifice

**_Warning_: This chapter contains descriptive sexual content, readers beware. **

Chapter 22

Hitsugaya didn't seem surprised to see Hinamori at all, just levelling her with a look and crooked smirk. She watched him from across the room and looked into his eyes. He smiled at her.

"You're not supposed to be here," she said to him.

"You're not where you're supposed to be either," he answered, his smile disappeared.

Hinamori shook her head. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

She settled back against her futon crossing her arms, and he became aware of the bruises under her eyes, the pale line of her lips, and the fact that she wasn't telling him to leave. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," she whispered. "You really want to hear it?"

At that moment, he was only thinking of her safety; downstairs he heard Ichigo's voice calling him. To leave. There was a silence, he looked down at the floor and brought a hand to his face. "I shouldn't have come."

The silence stretched on, and then he was walking out the door without looking back. "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

Downstairs, he found Rukia in the kitchen when Ichigo left first. The instant she saw his face, she stopped what she was doing. Clearly he looked worse than he felt.

"Thank you," he said, though they both didn't understand what he was thanking her for. "We'll be keeping an eye on this shop. Just in case."

"That's very generous of you."

* * *

"Momo, are you really just going to let them leave?" Rukia had barged into her room the moment the warriors had left.

"…"

Rukia exhaled impatiently. "That's it; you're not even going to _say _anything?" She walked over to the restless geisha and grabbed her hand, "Look I love you, and I just don't want to see you get hurt again. He came because he _wants _to be with you and this might just be me acting crazy but you belong with Hitsugaya-sama, like I do with Ichigo…as fanatical as that may sound."

Hinamori looked at Rukia's pleading eyes. There were so many questions she couldn't ever understand about Hitsugaya or anyone for that matter. You couldn't ever know everything about someone. That's what kept it interesting. Yet she knew that the unexpected could happen at any moment, yet she never missed her chance to see it, but now it might be too late. But at least she knew that Hitsugaya had tried, he extended his hand and vowed to his heart that he'd protect her, whatever the outcome.

"Go. We can't run away from them. There's a part of us that will never be completely happy without them."

Hinamori's eyes stung. "Take care of the others…and yourself."

* * *

As Hitsugaya continued walking, he heard a rhythmic tapping. He glanced behind him as it got louder. Hitsugaya turned just as Hinamori got to him, looking surprised, but not for long when she threw herself at him, clawing at his kimono with both hands. By the time she reached him, she was breathless, and her heart was thumping so hard that was all she could hear. She held so tightly that his back cracked. She was sobbing. Bawling. So hard her body shook.

Hitsugaya didn't say anything, just wrapped himself around her.

"I'm not okay," Hinamori said between forced breaths. "Not without you…I need you."

Hitsugaya closed his eyes and held on tighter.

That night, the silence was scary. Not because it was pitch black but because for the first time Hinamori didn't know what he was thinking, it began to rain and that would have been good, to be alone with Hitsugaya, protected from everything else. If only she weren't have this weird feeling of not recognizing him.

"You know Violet came by," he said quietly. It wasn't a question.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Hinamori said. She was talking coherently when all she wanted to do was scream. "Maybe you were just dreaming, remember all those times you told me that you thought you met her after all those years, only to wake up from a dream?"

"You're going to die," Hitsugaya said. He was detached and quiet. "Violet's always had this power separated from her mind readings, she predicts things," Hitsugaya went on, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. "I just have this feeling that maybe…maybe she was right."

"Hitsugaya," Hinamori whispered.

"I had a dream that you were different. Like someone I didn't know…like how V was when she changed. I just couldn't stop thinking that maybe you were infected too; it fills you full of hatred and pain. V never told me when…but it didn't matter, you were lost."

"Hitsugaya-"

"I didn't want to believe it-"

"_Hitsugaya, just stop it!" _ It was almost a cry. Hinamori was shaking and breathing hard. Her hands were cold. "Why are you saying this?"

They stopped in wet soot and then he turned on her. His lips closed over hers. "I need you to understand that I want to protect you." Then he let out a breath and repeated his thoughts more quietly, but with more hostility. "I don't _want_ to believe that they made it to you first."

Hinamori spent a few moments getting her breathe properly. It was hard to do without trembling. "Well, you can't," she said at last. "You're too late."

"Hitsugaya…" her breath was back, but she didn't know what to say. As far as she could tell, Hitsugaya had lost himself- over her. She reached for him and put a hand on his where it rested on a nearby tree.

"Hitsugaya, I've got it. And…it's bad; Inoue stopped it temporarily. She said it was different from when Renji got it. She said that it was nothing she's ever seen before and it's slowly spreading," she told him softly, with a laugh that broke off with a sob.

He laughed shortly in turn. His teeth clicked; then he pulled away. Looking out into the dark forest, he added, "You probably think you understand everything about my world, but you don't. There's something very important that you don't know. Not to mention it's breaking the ties."

"Ties?"

"Clan ties. Royal clans go by different laws than humans but ties are supposed to be unbreakable."

"I know how this sounds, but…Hinamori, I-I can't do this. _We_ shouldn't."

"Do what?"

"I'm not what you think I am. I have rules…I've been living my whole life disobeying them for the past hundred years. And now you're one of them."

He read the blank sorrow on her face and reached for her, but she shoved him and threw something at him.

"You _imposter_!" she screamed, it was pouring now and she reached for something else to throw before running off to nowhere.

* * *

Hitsugaya dodged and pivoted as Hinamori launched another rock back at him. "Hinamori-"

"I hate you! You liar! Cheater! I can't believe I ever-"

She stopped mid-sentence because she bumped right into a dark figure. A man with an umbrella appeared through the trees.

"Is everything alright? I thought I heard a scream so I went to check."

The man sent glances back and forth between Hinamori and Hitsugaya; he seemed to wait for the prince to go. He didn't. Instead the prodigy caught up to Hinamori. The man narrowed his eyes at Hitsugaya. "Miss, is this man…"

His voice trailed and then stopped altogether.

Hinamori saw that he was staring at Hitsugaya; from the lightning that flashed she saw that his turquoise orbs glimmered and reflected the white light.

"So you see we were just running to shelter from this downpour," Hitsugaya spoke to the man, as if continuing a conversation. Then the man blinked and glanced around, as if he interrupted something, he bowed and sent his apologies and was on his way again.

Hinamori watched the man disappear, forgetting to blink. Then slowly she averted her eyes to the prince, she gasped.

"It's just something we do," Hitsugaya said. "Along with the speed and spells. It helps get the job done." He stared at her for a moment, and then she was running again. He sighed.

Hinamori broke out into the clearing of the backyard leading to the house; she was so certain she could make it before he did-

He stood at the door, catching her. She refused to flinch, but she felt her eyes watering. Some part of her panicked heart started to piece the puzzle together.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, refusing to believe her conscious, she tried to wrench free of his hold. She had to squint between the sheets of rain that made his image go in and out of focus. She was still struggling and thrashing and kicking when he grabbed her and dragged her into the house, pressing her against the stainless glass of the doorway. "Let me go! Hitsu-"

"Hmm…" His lips pressed against hers, so sweet and inviting…she turned her head away from him. She glowered at him when he spoke, "What can a powerless human like you do if I ever turned my back?"

A tear slid down her cheek, "What do you _want _with me?"

"I want to protect-"

"No." she shook her head, "Tell me the _truth_."

"Truth?"

"That's what I said."

He was confused, "I don't-"

More tears slid down her cheek, "No you don't understand, Hitsugaya because just imagine all the forbidden things you could do with someone, but the one person you love most not only won't attempt it, but actually follows some preposterous law to not to be with you."

Hitsugaya swept Hinamori off her feet, into his arms. A simple action- but the speed was astonishing and together they crashed into his mattress.

"Hinamori, I love you. I swear it." Hitsugaya lips against her skin were warm and soft.

"You're a rotten liar." She whimpered back. Her words weren't true because it was evident in the way she remembered how possessive he was all the time when he said he'd protect her. How he could hear things when she couldn't or moved faster than she did or how easily he could control his strength while doing complicated skills because of his abilities. It was always a mystery to her as no doubt no _average _human could be that miraculous, unless of course he had a _lifetime_ of training.

His voice was husky, "You understand don't you," he began shedding their wet layers. "Only you can make me do the things I do."

* * *

Tonight, it didn't hurt. The rawness she'd been expecting didn't last, it was easily overshadowed by how tender he was with her. They were going to take things slowly, savour it and make love in the dark of the room. Their clothing disappeared faster than when they got soaked, leaving their hair and skin damp with a layer of dew. Hitsugaya's lips left hers and he trailed his tongue over her skin, searing a path to her throat where he made circles over her collarbone, earlobe, and her neck.

"Oooh…oh god." Hinamori fought to clear her mind, when his kisses traced a path down her smooth stomach; he placed his lips just above her sex. His hands pressed against her inner thighs holding her legs wide open, his tongue gently probed over the lips, occasionally flicking over them. As her moans slowly and steadily increased in volume he sucked on her, flicking his tongue with more pressure, lapping at her wetness. When his finger claimed her throbbing center eased in by another, it brought a sensation that burned throughout her body. She arched and wove her fingers through his damp hair with a cry as he found that sweet spot he knew so well, deep within her.

The instant he found out exactly how aroused she was, their positions changed. Hinamori straddled him, she was held in place by the back of the neck, up close her long dark hair was down past her shoulders and she smelled like a mixture of clean sweat and icy fruits. Hitsugaya pressed his back into the boards, while his lover supported her weight with her fingers wrapped around the edges of the headrest.

He cupped her breast, softly kneading them, rolling her now erected tip with his fingers before taking her in his mouth; she tightened her legs against his thighs as she lowered herself onto him, taking his full length fully inside of her.

His hands left her breast to slide further up her back, tracing over the soft skin, moving her hair as it clung down across her back in a wet blanket. She grinded against him, driving herself deeper and harder his hands pulled her body against his. Hinamori felt the warmth radiating off Hitsugaya's body and she could smell his masculinity as he kissed her neck and whispered in her ear how good she made him feel.

She nearly came.

Hitsugaya's breathing was hard and fast along with hers as the friction between them accelerate, his arms wrapped around her shoulder blades when her palms squeaked against the marble of the bolster and the first of her orgasm burst.

Hinamori was still climaxing when her lover linked his forearm behind one of her knees, he pulled her leg up high and sent her sprawling backwards into his sheets. He moved forward and entered her again holding himself above her body. As he loomed over her, his hair came forward and brushed her neck. There was a thin layer of precipitation between her chest as it rose and fell with her heavy intake of air. Her fingers ran up his back and tangled in his hair; he pressed his face into the crook of her neck and growled. She shuddered.

Hitsugaya lifted his head and stared down at her angelic flushed face, her eyes were wet and her breath grew deeper and more ragged. As he began to ride harder and deeper their moans came together and every movement made her muscles tense around him. Her arms were hanging limply around his neck. He wasn't done with her yet.

She was everything he'd been waiting for, the love that addicted and imprisoned him. He was the strength she needed to shield herself from the storm.

And then his rhythm accelerated. This time Hinamori's orgasm was longer, more intense. She cried as it washed over her body in waves, her hips bucking furiously. Hinamori's hips began to rise up and down with his movements, driving upwards as his plunged down, so that they met again and again. His released came with his thrust…bang, bang, bang…

As they both came back down to Earth Hitsugaya wrapped his arms around his partner's waist, kissing her neck and shoulders, holding her close against him while they both caught their breath.

"I don't care which world we are in, just as long as we're in the same one together," he whispered. "Believe in us."

They looked at each other, both bothering not to say what they knew, there had to be a way for them to be together, no laws, no lies, no secrets, just them.

**Authors Note: Well there's a wrap to that chapter…not much to say about it though. Special thanks go to: **_**Deeper and Deeper**_**, **_**riri mimi**_**, **_**Ryuu-dragon09**_**, and **_**mmmbopjonasgirl**_**. Hope to see everyone soon, till next time! =)  
**


	23. Catch Me Now

Chapter 23

"Don't," Hitsugaya whispered. "Please."

This was when Hinamori realized there were tears rolling down her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered against his jaw. "I don't understand… Why now? Why you? How can I be with you? I'm not the one for you."

His face softened more and he reached out to her. "Hinamori," he smoothed his hand over her cheek and wiped away her tears. "I've been in love with you the moment we met, if you don't feel the same way I do, its fine but I can't…" he shook his head. "I am not going to pretend that these feelings aren't there or that things are the way they used to be because _I'm _not the way I used to be since I met you."

"I do feel it," Hinamori told him as she wiped her eyes. "I feel what you feel, of course I do."

"I hoped you might." His eyes said he wanted to kiss her but she couldn't seem to stop crying and then the words poured out of him, the words he'd been afraid to show before. "I need you to stay safe, with me."

It wasn't fair. She looked into his eyes and felt everything she never thought possible. The prince made her weak. Made her yearn. Made her…fall in love with him. Hinamori wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him until her mouth met his, open and wet. He squeezed her between his chest and the mattress. Their lips melted together, moving as one, separation was not an option. They tasted the salt…their tears.

"Hinamori," he breathed, moving from the bed. He went to stand at the foot of it.

"Come here," he commanded

She obeyed.

He stood her directly in front of a full-length mirror. "Tell me what you see?" he asked.

"You."

He smiled at her reflection.

Leaning down, he rested his chin on her shoulder. "What do you see when you look at you?"

"Someone who needs to gain fifteen to twenty pounds and some sleep for those ugly bags under her eyes."

Hitsugaya didn't look amused. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Let me tell you what I see." He all but purred in her ear. "I see beautiful hair as dark as night, soft and light, the kind that I love to feel cascading over my body so I can bury my face in it and smell you."

She trembled.

"You have the face of an angel with innocent, sensuous lips that begs for a kiss. Your blush is captivating. They add a youthful charm to your features that is uniquely you and utterly irresistible."

It didn't sound so bad when he put it that way.

They locked gazes in the mirror. Hinamori froze, unable to move as his hot, tender look held her enthralled. "You have a beautiful body," he said nuzzling her neck as his hand played in her hair.

"Hitsugaya," she whispered, knowing if she didn't stop him now, she would never be able to stop him later. He was pulling her back towards the bed.

"Sh," he breathed in her ear. "I'm behaving myself."

The man was seriously talented.

Her body was hot. Afire from his touch and his wickedly erotic smell. She forgot how it felt to be touched in ways that most couldn't think was possible, if she thought last night's bliss wasn't enough torture, she couldn't say what was.

She pushed herself against him, closing the space between them. And as he leaned in and kissed her, she let go, closing her eyes to a kiss that took her breath away, leaving them to a lip-lock that was always sweeter than the first.

She shifted uncomfortably. "Is that why you're always talking about the _after life_?" Even after everything, she couldn't say it without half-smiling.

His fingers loosened in her hair. "Yes. Yeah, I believe there is," he whispered. Then his eyes met her gaze directly.

His eyes were visible in the dark.

Hinamori relaxed against the pile of pillows on the bed. It was easier to believe him because all the supernatural had already happened. Her entire life had already been flipped, so one more of the impossible couldn't hurt.

_My death is evitable and my friends are paranormal protectors of the afterlife. _ "You are unbelievable," she finally said, and it meant everything she just realized.

Gently still holding her gaze, he ran a hand over her thigh, a gesture of affection. He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear, "It seems like forever."

She missed him too. They hadn't been together like this for what seemed like an eternity, was only a week. And while she wanted to return his kisses with equal passion and do what came naturally, she found she couldn't. The voice in her head reminded her, it wasn't the time or place. _Everything has changed, forever._

But at the moment while they were together, there was always those moments that couldn't be wasted. Hinamori told herself that this was the closest you could get to another person. So close their breath became your own. They both wanted the same thing. So she was going to return the favours, for a second chance.

Hitsugaya's expression turned to that of a lover to an uncontrollable animal. "Even now since that first day I saw you playing my piano, I never did once view you as anything but a miracle."

* * *

"More Happoshu, sir?" the waitress asked Kira.

He emptied his glass in one gulp and swirled the ice cubes in his mouth. "Okay."

"Perhaps another glass for you?"

Matsumoto considered another bottle of Sake. It wasn't like it was going to completely throw her over, although the rest of them were well on their way to overboard. She'd come into the habit of toning down on the liquor whenever the gang along with Hinamori got together. But now and then whenever they all spent a suitable amount of time together, everyone was always a little buzzed.

Their server returned with six glasses filled to the brim. It was far past midnight, and the only people left in the place were drunken groggy-eyed men, who were possibly cheating on their wives.

Renji glanced at the bill and slapped a few bills on the tray.

"So how are things going with Hinamori?"

"Better." Ichigo smiled, although he felt sick enough to throw up. It was hard to visit Hinamori and not hate her because of what she was doing to them.

"Well…" Renji coughed. Everyone knew what was on each other's minds and Ichigo wished that he hadn't volunteered to be the messenger boy behind Hitsugaya's back (he just wanted to see both Rukia and Hinamori).

Ichigo shook his head. "Rukia said that she needs time…to think things over."

"There's no more fucking time as it is." Ikkaku cracked his knuckles and snapped the toothpick between his teeth in half.

"Ikkaku-"

"They're impossible," he said, spitting out the half remaining toothpick across the table enough so it landed on the floor.

"Why does anyone care?" he fumed. "I'm tired of all the old law shit."

* * *

"They're not back yet?" she asked.

"It's late. They've probably found some place close by to crash."

They were both looking out into the drenched black city. Hitsugaya leaned against the cold hard glass window, pressed against him in his arms was Hinamori. Together they were inseparable. So happy, but they never spoke about the past or future because it was hopeless.

"Hitsugaya." She looked into his face and he gave her the smile she loved so much. "I've wanted to ask you something…"

"Try me," he said, running his fingers through her hair while his other hand rested lightly on her back. She tingled at his touch.

"Is it true that there's nothing we can do about Aizen-"

"Let's not talk about that," Hitsugaya's response cut her off and his reaction shocked her when he dropped his arms and stopped from kissing her. His face turned emotionless and for a moment she saw a flash of his true nature, saw the dangerous warrior of bloodshed that he was.

"But what's so important-"

Hitsugaya pressed his finger over her lips. "Just forget it."

"I'm going to take a shower." This time he kissed her –like nothing- and this told her that some little secret bubble was about to burst.

* * *

Breaking n Entry. Not much to say about it. People think stealing is different, all those plans or strategies, usually done in groups, if you succeed your as close to happy as your twisted mind can allow. Everyone figures that stealing must have less peer pressure and risk. After all, most robbers get away with it.

Hinamori always had nightmares of running after someone and never catching them, only to be left alone in a cold dark place but this _wasn't _how she'd imagined. This meant for the first time in her life, she was the target.

There was a shadow outside, and then someone was staring back at her. Blinking, she stared at the window for a couple of seconds as if the figure would magically reappear. It didn't. Hinamori walked forward to try to get a better view through the sheeting downpour distorting her image, saw a flicker of motion and jumped before realizing it wasn't her face that reflected in the glass.

"Hi there," a voice said.

Before Hinamori had time to react, the person she had just seen was reflected _behind_ her, he disappeared and reached for her arm, hand wrapping around her forearm and yanked her off balance.

"Hey!" Hinamori said. "That hm-"

"Hurts?" Someone's fingers tightened around her wrists and ribbons came over her lips. When the geisha wrench back, she got kneed in the stomach, and doubled over.

In the mirror, her captor lifted a fist sized object. _A rock? _

He swung. Pain exploded in the back of Hinamori's head and she pitched forward, tasting blood before everything went black.

* * *

Hitsugaya shun-poed another round through the rooms, sending probing reiatsu with each step around him and then refusing to believe what his own senses told him.

_You're here. You have to be! _

He did another round, looking through all the hiding places, his heart pounding louder and louder in his chest till it hurt. He was walking down the hall again until broken glass brushed his feet; the key was in its rightful place wedged in the back of his family photo frame. As he was shoving the key into the lock, he was pounding the door.

"Hinamori!"

And then even when his own voice bounced off the emptiness of the place, he still didn't want to believe. She was gone. Then he found himself rounding the place again, searching for evidence. Then, in the bedroom, he noticed something glistening against the white of the carpet.

Blood. He brushed it with his fingers and understood. And got colder and colder with every inch it ran down his hand. By the time it rested in his palm, he was made of ice and ready to kill.

If it wasn't for the breeze coming through the broken glass window, he would have never caught the whiff of cologne.

Hitsugaya took a few things from his closet and made a call on his ear piece as he walked out the front door. The bastard entered and didn't bother to erase the trespass.

"Matsumoto, it's me," he said after voice mail. "There's no more time to waste. Something's come up. If you see shichou …they can't stop me."

He didn't care if they searched for him. He knew his voice was remorseful and sharp. At that moment he felt ready to destroy everything in his path. Anything to find Hinamori.

But where would they take her?

_Damn it, _he thought. _Where are you hiding?_

* * *

Pain.

Blazing Pain.

She awoke several times that night on cold tiled floors. The second time, someone was in the doorway, watching the night. The third, someone kneeled at her side, reaching for her hand.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Go back to sleep."

The geisha preferred she was dreaming and went back into slumber.

No one would answer her, and she could tell they had a good idea what was wrong and just wouldn't explain it. That meant it was worse than bad.

**Authors Note: This has got to be my latest update ever. Special thanks go to: **_**Hyuga Momo, starlitangel99, iLUBBAnimee, **_**and**_** Hirako Senna**_** for their alerts! Summer 09 where more updates shall continue! **


	24. Up Close and Personal

**I intended to treat the remaining sections of the story as a sequel but considering that I don't know where to particularly end it; **_**Geisha Girl**_** will be my longest written story, I can see up to forty(+) chapters maximum: As there are still many unanswered questions. I'm trying to think of a conclusion, even though the ending is far from planned. Nevertheless I hope everyone is enjoying this! **

Chapter 24

The one-land road was dark and deserted. But not entirely silent- there were dozens of tiny night sounds, all adding up to one intricate mismatched night stillness. It would have been pleasant, except that Hinamori's legs seemed to get heavier with every step. She knew better than to speak to her abductor, but it only made her feel more terrified and confused.

Just when she was beginning to think of an escape plan, she heard a new sound.

It was a carriage, coming from behind them. The wheels squeaked as it got closer to them and the horse stopped. Hinamori saw a man looking through the window at her. There was another figure in the back, she looked at them curiously.

They both nodded and stared back, seeming just as mystified as she was. The door opened and a revealed a man wearing a white suit with hair a red so dark it was almost black. He was tall and muscular; opposite of him was a woman in the shadows with hair the colour of fire. "Hope you didn't wait too long."

"You can sit up front with me."

"Lucky you," the older man's tone was polite but sarcastic. He closed his door, then. "Brother since you're the lucky bastard, you can go put the woman's suitcases in the trunk."

A moment later they were trotting down the road at what Hinamori found a delightful speed, gravel crunching beneath hoofs and tires. Even up front with the nicest stranger of the group, she felt slightly uneasy. She sensed something. Even though these mystic beings seemed friendly, there was something beneath the surface. She felt their eyes watching her.

They rode a long time before the driver spoke again.

"Have you ever been on the other side of the forest before?"

The geisha ducked her head and whispered a negative.

"It's a pretty lonely place," the woman spoke up. "Everything on the south-west side of the forest is our territory."

Her tone was significant, but Hinamori didn't understand what she was trying to convey. "It's peaceful, alright. But miles from here, there won't be anyone to hear you."

She gulped. _What strange thing to say._

The geisha glanced back, she smiled: A sincere bright grin of straight teeth.

"You see, they're not really nice guys," she was explaining absently. "Well, we're _trying _to be on orders but naturally you'll get to know us better. Understand?"

Hinamori was still looking polite and puzzled, but at the same time she was looking for a safe place to land on when she'd jump. There wasn't one.

"Too bad," the tougher brother said. "Now, woman you need to co-operate and we won't accidentally hurt you."

The very nature during the hours of darkness was to be inconspicuous. To the unknowing public strolling through the forest, the mansion was simply another abandoned address. In fact there was no window at all that offered outsiders a view of what lay within.

The stone walls on either side of the house climbed up high banks where they jostled against the slanted trunks of trees and the view to the backyard was obscured by drooping branches, the right side of the house revealed an expanse of mossy vines and flowerbeds tangled with green, stretching into the narrow distance to the back. On the left-hand side was a large black spider-webbed gate, the sand path lead to the carriage shed that merged into the grey and brown shadows of the woods behind.

There was the sound of voices from the stone pavement, distracting Violet from her thoughts. She looked outside and saw four figures walking up the pathway. With a surge of alarm, she recognized the human as none other than Hinamori Momo with her brothers and Ember.

Anger as hot as daylight shot through her body, spreading like a flood of foul, black bubbling acid. Violet looked at her hands and saw they were shaking so badly but she just need to regain self control and smile and pretend that everything was insignificant while she plotted how to kill the woman. She saw her reflection, expected to be rewarded by the sight of her lovely human face. Instead she was greeted by the monster with shining sapphire eyes and fangs. Yet the sight of her was also a reminder of the pain she had endured while she lived. A curse: _Vecna_, goddess of destruction and evil secrets. She had betrayed her soul for power, to manipulate. Her human self, Violet had died in symbols painted on her flesh in blood and now she remained in the afterlife, though by choice.

A knock interrupted her thoughts. It could only be Jared.

"What?" she called.

"Vecna? It's me."

She already knew what this was going to be about. She brushed her hair aside, trying best as she could to make it seem like she was oblivious to everything.

"Jagger," she greeted.

He frowned when he looked at her and when he spoke again his voice had lowered an octave. "Perhaps I shall dismiss your attendance."

* * *

"Welcome."

Hinamori spun to see Aizen. His eyes glittered with what looked like amusement, but his face was solemn. "Looking for a way out?"

"I- I wasn't-"

"Trying to escape." A smile touched his lips. "Perhaps-"

_**Bam! **_The door burst open.

Instead of spitting all the foul words she had jumbled in her mind, Violet found herself looking directly into the face of the human she had threatened back home. They were both looking at each other. Focusing and then Hinamori said, "You."

Judging by the hatred in her eyes like wild fire, the daughter of darkness recognized Hinamori too.

Then everything was just a mad tangle. Arms, legs, grasping fingers, kicking feet. Violet found grabbed the geisha's hair and yanked. All the while something hit her, and pain blossomed on her side.

Violet found herself thrown back by a burst of energy and crashed into furniture. Everyone was tense.

Hinamori couldn't read what expression was on Aizen since she was staring at his back. "I won't sugar coat it for you, but I believe trust is the first step and trust is critical in a place like this."

Again she couldn't know what was on his face, making sure she understood the _other _side of that statement: Trust always came with a price and she was expected to keep up her end of the knot.

"I understand." She replied.

* * *

Hitsugaya reached the end of the road and stopped to inspect the lights of the city, he was on the outskirts of town before entering enemy territory. From here he could really see the isolation of their worlds. From here, the stars, looked like a black board of connect the dots. "There you are!" a voice nearby called. "We've been searching for you for hours!"

Hitsugaya answered without turning around. "Where _were _you?" He glared at them, hands in his pockets.

"Sorry but we're not exactly all sober right now. But forget it. Did you find them or not?"

"No. They disappeared completely," he turned around and walked swiftly into an open space in the forest, all the trees leaves had wilted. He looked into the distance that carried on miles and miles of star shaped leaves. He kicked the soil, frowning. "Through here, is the only place to go. It's in the middle of nowhere, a good hunting range."

"With no supervision," Kira said sourly. "It doesn't matter so much that they have been living here, but they _want_ Momo to join them."

Matsumoto shrugged, uncomfortable. "I didn't know they had _that _in mind."

"It's not just that," Kira said in a soft tone. "There's a rumour about that suto-ri-tera - story teller. She's been seen somewhere…wanting bait."

"Are you trying to drill something into my head, Kira?"

"No sir. The problem is whether we can really do what's necessary to clean this up."

Hitsugaya was looking off into a middle distance, his eyes narrowed, his mouth a straight line. "Kira," he said with a clipped tone, as if speaking to a disobedient child, "we have to do something, for the peace of this city."

There was a pause, then Ichigo said, "And what about Momo?"

"What of her?"

"Will you kill her if necessary?"

The captain didn't blink. "Of course, by the time she's corrupted, she won't remember a thing. If she is _what _I think she is then she is the greatest opportunity Aizen has to use against us since Violet herself."

"But- execute? Is there no other way?" Matsumoto asked, trying not to show her revulsion.

"Better than to have her fall deeper into the hands of our enemies."

* * *

Hinamori woke to the clink-clink of metal against glass. The red haired teenager ate from a plate slabbed with what Hinamori thought was raw meat.

"Hello," she turned and smiled. "I'm Ember."

The girl cut into her raw meal. "Except I go by Blaze, cause it sounds kind of-" she ripped into her blood dripping meat and wiped her mouth with a napkin, as if to not seem so gluttony "-igneous."

"I'm-"

"Oh, I _know_ who you are."

She kept on chattering away, but Hinamori didn't hear it because all she could think was, how to not throw up. And if this girl was here eating a piece a raw meat, there was something wrong with her. Some sort of mayhem.

She didn't look crazy. Her long red fire hair was brushed into a gleaming ponytail. She wore a clean cotton robe. If Hinamori didn't know better, she'd think she woke up in a mental institution.

But the girl seemed harmless enough, though. She'd have to be wouldn't she? They wouldn't capture a geisha just to let her be killed off. They wouldn't put anyone dangerous enough in here. At least not enough to slaughter her on the first day. Her heart was beating fast; the heat became an adrenaline rush through her veins. The girl looked up and smiled revealing her pearly whites.

_Relax. They don't put any real blood suckers in here. _

Those she never met or recognized all seemed to acknowledge her, as if they really _were_ expecting her presence. She was greeted by the title_ Tennin (Celestial Maiden), _as she was lead through the dark halls, moving into a whole cast of characters. Doctors, scientists, and servants who all seemed hypnotized. She didn't have to glance up to know her rival was coming in the opposite direction. Ever since she entered she could always pick up the woman's presence. Maybe it was the venom in her blood, giving her the ability to tell when another was close by.

Her purple eyes only acknowledged the company of the man who greeted her, but she never registered the existence of their new guest. Violet completely disregarded her.

* * *

Later that night, Hinamori had received two different invitations: her winter ball dress had arrived, and there was a copy of _Bittersweet_ on her bed. Inside the novel was a note: _Sneak out. One hour after curfew. _

"Hurry up." Ember crouched upon her windowsill. The light outlined her slender body, graceful even as she prepared to make the leap to the nearest tree branch. "The guards will be back soon."

The house was monitored only after curfew, it was almost two, and they had five minutes. Now would have been a good time to get out while they could, but Hinamori kept trying to perfect her image. She was trying to make jeans and a sports jacket look good.

Ember's patience had run out. "I'm going now. Come with me or don't."

"Wait." Ember grabbed the geisha's hand and together they leaped to the tree branch, then to the ground, Ember's landing was as graceful as a cat, while the other managed to follow, scraping her palms. Ember could get through the debris without ruining herself, a talent Hinamori was lacking at the moment.

At last they saw the light. There was a low moon by the edge of the lake, small enough to avoid attracting attention but big enough to give cast eerie shadows.

"Shit." Ember sighed, but before her friend could ask what was wrong they both heard Violet's laugh, not far away. She had an expression that told Hinamori, they shouldn't have come. Ember stiffened; apparently her new acceptance of their guest didn't extend as far as defending the new girl in front of Violet. Hinamori braced herself for the spiteful remarks, instead she got a smile and that was obviously a greeting she didn't deserve when it came from daughter of darkness anyway.

"Blaze," she said. "Glad you could make it, care for a snack?"

"Can't." Ember shrugged, like she couldn't careless about the offer. "I am talking to a friend."

The witch glanced over at her and glared, clearly annoyed that Ember was choosing someone else over the likes of her. "You don't mind, do you?"

She started towing Ember off without waiting for an answer, Ember shot her a look and Hinamori knew if she spoke up, she would stop. But she just stood there helplessly and watched them go. Apparently, though, she would have to wait for her from a distance. For now, the new girl was still alone.

Someone was playing a samisen and Shakuhachi, the sound was trancelike and smooth. Hinamori didn't recognize the musicians nor did she meet any of the many paranormal dancers around her. They all seemed to vanish into a circle of friends right away, which left her standing alone, wondering what to do in her situation.

"Care for a dance?" someone asked. He must have been standing and watching her from behind the entire time. He wore a black long sleeve turtle neck and held a wine glass in one hand. The moonlight half shadowed his features; he had dark hair that stuck out in all directions, a slim face and strong jaw. He looked like an innocent guy, with a baby face, somebody who was underestimated all the time because of it. But his ocean blue eyes made him spellbinding and even sexy, because there was intelligence and humour there. His voice was even alluring. "Want a sip? There's still some left."

He offered his thick crimson appetizer, she shook her head but he had to know that she was appalled by the offer. "I don't like that stuff."

The stranger smiled, but he wasn't laughing at her. "You know premature night creatures still drink this stuff-blood I mean, at dinner with their family and friends. And parents are encouraged to get their offspring to adapt to the food chain."

"Really, I'm not-"

"Ready." He finished, not pressing her and he wasn't even buzzed. This man had a way of comforting people, despite his size and hidden strength. "I wanted to introduce myself to you properly since yesterday night. The name's Jagger but I'm also known as Jared; whom ever you want."

Her expression was as blank as her mind.

"I'm going to be glad we met. I can tell." Jared must have felt the falter in her aura because he laughed, deep and teasing. He had dimples in his chin that made him seem more playful. The geisha felt almost unfaithful to Hitsugaya, noticing how gorgeous Jared was, but it was impossible not to because everyone here was just absolutely stunning. For once, it was flattering to have a handsome guy paying attention to her. She grinned back at him, and for a whole second it looked like the gathering was going to be fun. That was until the guards showed up.

"Damn, I was just starting to enjoy myself," Jagger said. "But it gives us a chance to get back inside."

They ran through the woods, listening to the commotion of the assembly being disrupted, and gave each other smiles as they climbed over the back brick wall, home free. Jagger slung himself over, landing silently before reaching up to help Hinamori. "I wish you were having some fun here."

"Don't count on it," she said, glancing across the lawn to where Ember was just safely retrieving.

"Are you kidding, I am having a blast." He held open the side window. "You ought to explore more. Try harder to get to know some of us."

She shot him a look. "Like Violet?"

"My sister? Nah, you should try to get to know the more _important_ people."

By far, the only member of the crowd who seemed remotely worth knowing was Jared, himself. "This isn't the right place for me," she confessed. "I know it serves a purpose but it's not something I'll ever understand."

His walk slowed, carefully measuring his long stride so that she wouldn't fall behind. He was tall and broad, powerfully built and a weird little tingle struck the woman's stomach. His ocean eyes were studying her intently and that warm tingly feeling was still there.

They reached the second floor, and he stopped right at the bottom step. "This staircase leads up to your room. At the other end of the corridor there's another staircase which goes all the way up to mine and my siblings as well." Jagger was about to say something else, but at the moment Ember appeared at the top of the stairs, apparently still snooping around.

"_Come on_." Easily, she took her arm as if they were best friends. She only then just saw him, "Oh, hey Jagger."

He nodded and he looked more amused than disappointed. He locked eyes with Hinamori and said, "See you soon."

* * *

As she was being dragged away down the hall, she looked back, but Jared was already gone, he had disappeared into the shadows in an instant. Then beside her, Ember giggled like a little girl. "Jagger's not my type but you've done rather well for your first night."

"We're just friends," Hinamori protested as they separated to their own rooms.

"_Sure_." Ember's eyes sparked with amusement. "I don't think his sister would approve."

The geisha grabbed her arm; she didn't want the conversation to get more uncomfortable than it already was. "Don't say a word to her. I don't need her remarks."

The red-head looked offended, "Suit yourself. But by all means, he'll return to you more quickly"

Honestly the geisha _was _a little flattered that Jared saw her differently, but it wasn't enough to convince that he wanted anything more, but he was definitely interested in her as if she really was attractive and charismatic instead of the withdrawn, awkward newbie. Jared was sweet, clever, and he had a good sense of sarcasm. He wasn't cold because everyone seemed to return his sympathy.

He was everything a woman could search for. But he wasn't Hitsugaya.

"Hey, want to see the rooms. Ours is split in two but there's more along here, I'll show you." Hinamori's was rose pink and held only a bed, a chair, a dressing table, and a built in wardrobe. And of course the bookcases: three of them here with a collection of old stories and diaries. Ember pulled her along the corridor lined with more books, overflowing from rickety bookcases and stacked up in towers.

Their rooms were connected with a door, so you could go round and round the house in a circle, up one set of stairs and down the other. The bookcases were improvised, shelved any which way, these ones unlike the ones downstairs were stained and torn. She probed them automatically, looking out for spiders as she scanned the spines. When she finally freed one from the shelf and flicked through the pages she realized it was a journal, the title page had a black and white charcoal drawing of a woman on it, and she was standing in the center of shattered pieces, in each fragment her image was different. In the corner where the paper had blackened and curled in was the crossed out name: _**Hinamori Yui**_.

This belonged to someone who knew her mother. Her daughter didn't want to know what else was written in it. But, in the bathroom as she freshened up she knew she'd read the rest. She felt as if she discovered her mother's identity- that the journal was a key to her past all together.

_

* * *

Important Note_:

**I will be referring to three specific siblings back and forth. So please do not think of their other names as three separate new characters as their identities are respectively another way of addressing them. **

**V (youngest sibling): Violet/Vecna or daughter of **_**darkness**_**. Her most talented abilities are **_**visions**_** and **_**mind control**_**.**

**J (second oldest): Jared/Jagger or son of **_**intellect**_**. His talented ability is opposite his brother's and yet to be revealed.**

**Other V (oldest): *Yet to be introduced*. His talented ability is yet to be revealed. **

**Extra: Ember/Blaze, though she's not as important as the other three her ability is yet to be revealed. **

*** I tend to give nicknames to my original characters instead of repeating the same name over and over as it tends to be a irritation to me but that doesn't apply for characters already belonging to Kubo Tite.* **

**

* * *

Authors Note: My updates is exceptionally long. Special thanks go to: **_**xMidnight-Spiritx**_** and **_**momoxtoshiro135**_** for their alerts! **


	25. Must Be Dreaming

Chapter 25

A stone path separated a trail from a flat clean cut lawn as Hinamori walked down another set of steps, this time made of wood, the grass felt alternately springy and spongy beneath her feet. The only flowers were dead Convallaria, clumping at the edge of the lawn, called out of the ground by spring only to be blighted by late winter frost. At the far end the geisha paused to look at a round stone basin, half full of dead leaves, which looked as if it had once been fountain. She sat on the edge of the fountain and looked back at the house, hugging her arms around herself in the chill air of the morning. Everyone had gone off and left her behind as if she was the awkward one, the part that didn't fit in, the stray cat that hung around on the doorstep.

Jared leaned out from a window on his floor, "You're still here?"

"What?"

"I assumed you were heading out with my siblings and Sosuke."

"Unfortunately." She sighed. "I wasn't invited."

"Sorry to hear that."

She rested her chin on her knee. Already feeling exhausted, as if it were passed curfew instead of early afternoon. "Sometimes it feels so tense here that I'm surprised no one has taken a bite out of me yet."

"So relax." Jagger coaxed, "And I'll give you a personal tour of the house."

She felt out of place to smile, but she did sigh. "That's an understatement. This place is a maze."

She stood up abruptly, too cold to sit still. Walking back towards the house, she veered to the right, through the vine pathway.

As she made her way up the steps, she saw someone's standing shadow. At first, though, she didn't recognize who it was until the sun highlighted his dark chocolate hair, she recognized him. "Hello?"

He was standing on top of the stone wall, looking down across the back garden. He didn't seem like a daylight person; his hair was shorter than Jagger but it still flared out over his ears and he was dressed showily in a black t-shirt, jeans, and runners. Hinamori was perplexed by his style, but nevertheless he was equally just as striking as Jagger. Varen's emerald eyes seemed to re-adjust to the light, and standing on the wall he looked alarming, especially when he jumped down without looking away from her and landed lightly on the path next to her.

"Yes?" The stranger looked the geisha up and down, coolly. "What do you want?" he asked, nicely.

"I was…" Hinamori went on, now embarrassing herself, "Jared was just giving me a tour of the house."

The man raised his eyebrow. He had a thin sharp face similar to Jagger although Varen had much toner upper arms. He met her eyes for a moment, looking amused.

"Jagger." His voice was deeper and more mysterious than whom he just spoke of.

"Yo, what have you been doing?" Jagger came up behind Hinamori, placing a hand on her shoulder, together they stood at the wooden frames of the entrance.

"We managed to amuse ourselves," Vishco answered, his eyes flicked back for a moment towards the forest in a way that Hinamori distrusted. Jared squeezed her shoulder, "It's cold out here," he said pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands.

"No, it's all right." She sounded wary. She traced the vine patterns on the door frame with her fingers while Varen kept on staring at them. The two had to make way as the brother brushed pass them into the house.

They watched him take the red steps four at a time, along his way up, "Woman, you should be careful," he told her. "My brother isn't a good influence on you."

At that moment, Jagger's thoughtful remark disappeared and was replaced with a less friendly suggestion. "Varen," his twin turned on his heels, "Get bent and die."

* * *

For weeks Hinamori hadn't said anything about her discovery of the journal, inside it she had been reading a vivid tale of murder and damnation, a new alliance concerning man, possessed by demon. The tale _Black and White Society, _was inexplicable to her, this writer seemed to have difficulty finding the characters as a majority of them was crossed-out.

How could someone make a thrilling fiction, portraying the darkest fear of humanity, knowing that the truth was darker still? Yet the story had no hero/heroine. Hinamori had been haunted by the words as she flipped back a page; she hesitated and began to read, to transcribe the words:

_There are things in a world that do not belong here- sinister things._

_Paranormal creatures that are both creation and myth. But they are also, in fact, quite real. The enemies of civilization: a world in dusk. _

_Yet, in every shadow there is a light: mystical guardians who protect the heart of innocence._

_Throughout the centuries there have been many brave men and women who fought to maintain peace, using magic and intelligence. But who will protect innocence from infringed obscurity?_

_Everything is changed…forever._

A knock at her door erased her train of thoughts. She frowned, wanting to figure how it would all turn out but this journal certainly didn't contain the information Hinamori was looking for, it as just an author's imagination. For the moment, however, she was concerned with her current crisis that had arisen in less than forty-eight hours, she missed her old bedroom but her door opened to discover Ember standing there.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but your dinner is ready."

"Thanks, but I'm not very hun-"

Her stomach betrayed her, as it growled unnecessarily long. Ember shook her head, "No, Momo. She's not here; she's gone out for her own dinner."

Hinamori held her robe more tightly, perhaps due to the chill in the air that swept through the house, or perhaps to the thought of what the others were eating. She nodded and put away her secret, followed Ember to the stairs and descended with her. Jagger was probably reading by the fireplace. And that was exactly where Hinamori found him on the leather couch.

Jared glanced up quickly at her arrival, only to be crestfallen at the sight of her discomfort. "Your sister isn't home yet?"

He shook his head, "My brother will be down shortly. He hasn't completely done his duties, unfortunately. I tend to have a more relaxed approach to daily routines. In fact, we were just about to head out. Unless you'd want…"

There was a moment's awkwardness during which asteroids would have frozen in the air between them. Then Ember made no attempt to wait any long as she ditched into the kitchen. Either she possessed a hint sense of propriety or she was treated well enough to notice the privacy her roommates possessed.

Her roommate wanted tea and chose the jasmine blend, which Violet had never liked. As she prepared her cup, she glanced over to the fireplace.

"You really seem to punish yourself in the company of Jagger."

Hinamori blinked twice, and then turned to stare at her.

"Pardon?"

"Please, Momo, don't pretend with me. He is a good-matured companion and quite the attentive seeker but his loyalty to his family never fails. His importance may damage even _your _status."

"Thanks for the concern," her friend finally said, wondering if her disdain for the insult was as evident in her behaviour towards the daughter of darkness. Ember froze and wrinkled her nose. "Well, I did warn you."

"And it was absolutely thoughtful of you!" Violet cooed, from the living room where her brothers were, as she went across the kitchen and went to sit in the chair opposite of the red-head along with her rivals teacup and saucer. Hinamori glared and even the slightest anger flicked across the face, contorting her emotions into a bizarre arrangement of thought. The chair in which the intruder intended to sit slide backward and suddenly everyone was caught off guard as Violet disappeared beneath the level of the table. They heard her curse as she hauled herself upward, her face blazing with fury and humiliation.

"How _dare_ you, you bitch," she spat.

Hinamori met her gaze without blinking and was shocked, "But I-I didn't do anything."

"I know exactly what you're capable of," Violet whispered through gritted teeth. "Just like your mother, I didn't think she was insane enough to create a juvenile of herself."

Her roommates were shocked expressionless, "You're the one who's insane!" Hinamori shouted across the room. "You witch!" Her voice rose as she ran out of the room, Jared placed his glass on the counter in the middle of the black and white kitchen, "Nice going, Vecna," he snapped angrily.

"Why are you sticking up for her?" Violet growled back, her eyes flashing. "Are you saying you care about her more than family?"

An unreadable expression crossed his face and then he walked off in the direction of the new girl. He tried not to think about the weird look in his sister's eyes as she talked about Hinamori. He knew how obsessive V could get.

"You bit him below the belt, Vecna," Varen replied, annoyed by her reaction.

He hoped she would get over whatever was eating her and start acting like she used to. That's all any of them really wanted: for things to go back to how they were before. Certainly that wasn't too much to ask?

* * *

"How'd you do that?" he asked.

"Go away," Hinamori said, composing herself as best as she could. But a part of her had been extremely prepared for what she had done. She turned to face him, his worried eyes stared at her and she felt guilty for the brush off. The library they were in was almost empty and the corner they chose was completely deserted. Hinamori sat against a shelve of books, her eyes suddenly heavy and burning with exhaustion. She felt strangely nauseous, a bitter taste forming at the back of her throat. Jared sat down beside her, and before he knew what she was doing, her eyes closed and she was leaning her head on his shoulder. "What's happening to me?" she asked, keeping her face pressed against his shoulder.

"There are possibilities that power has an interest in you, but I am certain that my sister can sense that your effort has been unlocking your potential."

Although she could have easily hit him, Hinamori couldn't bring herself to. She stared into Jared's face. She could feel his breath on her cheek as the ripe, warm smell of him filled her senses. She looked into his eyes and saw herself reflected in them, as if she was somehow trapped inside his head.

"Why are you saying this?" she asked.

"Because I want to help you."

She gave a bitter laugh. "Since when does your kind want to help mortals?"

"Because you're not _completely _human; no human can attack us and then live to scare my sister." He looked to her wrist. "How long have you had that tattoo, Momo? Three weeks? More than a month?"

"How do you know about the bite mark?" she gasped. She looked down at her wrist and saw that her scar had twisted into a fine line art of a black wing, it was still pink around the edges.

"Come on; give me _some _credit, will you?" Jared smiled, showing his even white teeth to good effect. Again she swore her heart stopped beating. He was a handsome man, Jagger. Yet there were tiny laugh lines encircling his full mouth, all of this made him much more appealing to his flawless features. She wanted to reach out and touch him, make sure that he was real. Instead she looked away, letting time begin to flow again.

"I know my kind when I see one. I won't lie to you because you don't have to keep living a half life, Momo. You can learn from us. I'll see that my sister is properly approachable. You won't have to worry about getting on her bad side anymore."

"You want me to become a night creature?" Hinamori was mortified. "I can't do something like that!"

"You're a crossbreed, Momo. How long do you think your body is capable for passing as a human now that your powers are bound to take over your gullibility sooner or later?"

Her face went as pale as his, and she spoke up. "But I've never shown any interest magic."

Jared smiled apologetically and squeezed her tightly to him. "See this is where you're wrong."

She felt like a porcelain doll, and hoped that he would not break her. She could feel his heart beating against her, and at that moment it seemed as if the humanness of it terrified her more than anything else ever before.

She pulled away, causing him to release her. "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

Hinamori stood up. As she stood there, she was barely aware that her vision was fuzzy and that she was swaying. Her heart raced and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. Her feelings had completely boiled over so that she couldn't construct a single coherent thought.

The darkness wrapped about her, and she fainted.

When she came to, she found herself in his thickly muscled arms. He held her as if she were to break any minute. His understanding yet worried eyes stared at her. "This is a side affect, really," Jared said. He helped her sit, but her head lolled back against his chest too heavy for her neck to hold. "How are you feeling?" he asked, clasping her shoulder. His touch was cold against her neck.

"Listen, hey I'm talking to you," Jared said, shifting her. His words were soft, his lips only a few inches from her ear. A feeling went through her, a wave of prickling tension. She took a single, shallow breath and licked her lips.

"I'm rather tired," she whispered.

"Then let me ask something," Jagger hesitated just long enough to let her gaze into his ocean orbs, listening intently to what he was about to say, then he folded his fingers around hers. "Come with me to the cotillion."

Despite all Embers' hints and jokes. Hinamori Momo hadn't ever thought that Jared would ask her. He could've escorted someone else. Even though they got along and were friends, she never meant for him to think otherwise. And her first instinct was to reject him. But she felt guilty for troubling him so, she could only say, "Yeah, okay."

"Cool." That smile grew more genuine. "It'll be fun."

* * *

"Vecna? It's me. Can I talk to you?"

"You'll have to come back later!" she replied. "I'm not entirely dressed. Wouldn't want to offend your tender sensibility."

"And your sense of decorum," Jared muttered.

With a sigh, Violet took a robe and slipped it on. She glanced at her reflection, her eyes gazing back curiously from beneath a strand of dark silk. She tied her sash and pulled open the door that led to the twins' room. Her brother was already dressed for the cotillion, looking like a model in a dark jacket, with a blue and white waistcoat beneath. He stood by the attic window and gazed out at the night, trying as best as he could to shield his emotions as if he hadn't been glaring daggers at her closed door only moments ago.

"I know what this is about," she whispered.

Her brother took a long breath, and then turned to face her. His expression was serious, but the gravity of it did not reach his eyes, which held regret. This was the way she could slip passed his shield, it was his eyes that always gave away the truth about his feelings, and she reminded herself that he was a brother she cared about.

Though she knew he had come to discipline her, she saw that he hated having to do so for the sake of his friendship with Hinamori. For this fact, Violet disliked the girl all the more. Her brother's gaze was searching the room for anything that he might study instead of her face, but he looked at her again.

"I'll be spending a majority of my time with Momo-" she hated that he even addressed her by name- "At least there she could know not to expect harsh treatment and loose talk."

"Are you acting as her older brother or lover?" she asked.

His body tensed, teeth bared. _"What_?"

She ran her fingers through her hair and moved loose strands from her face. "Your sincere honesty is natural and for that I'll allow a certain amount of idiocy but for treating me like the curse fallen upon us when it's her innocence which you ought to be careful of. I might go as far to say that her arrival on our territory is what is tearing this family apart. She's not one of us, Jagger."

He raised an eyebrow, considering her words. "Perhaps your concentration is slipping. We all have minds of our own and if you'd care to use it, with abilities such as yours; you'd be surprised that there's something so different about her."

Violet crossed her arms. "I will do no such thing as to waste my time prying her thoughts. And you will push this conversation no further. I'm certain Toushiro and his dragon clan would be _thrilled _to discover just what's she's summoning on her own blind will."

That brought his thoughts up short. As much as he was used to his sister's independent thinking, and her stubbornness...the revelation consuming Hinamori would cause her unending pain. Not that his family was disapproving of her change, but there would be far too many that would decide her fate.

"V, just…I'm asking you," Jared said, placing a hand on her head. "Try to understand Momo. For _my _sake."

For several moments she only looked at him. Finally, she pouted. "Fine. But you need to set some ground rules for her, if you want her alive. We'll be late but just go."

"Ten minutes?" he asked.

Violet considered her tangled hair and how quickly she could choose her brother sighed, "Half n hour, it is."

* * *

A week after Jared's invitation had Hinamori pulling emotions from left to right. She would be fixing her dress and trying on her make-up and within the next thirty minutes she'd be guilty because Jared obviously wanted her to feel more for him than she could.

"Awesome." Ember said, and meant it. The compliment made Hinamori feel bashful and delighted.

"I hope you and Jagger realize just how lucky you two are."

But she couldn't really be happy at the dance if she wasn't with her prince.

When she got ready the night of the dance, at first she couldn't believe the woman in the mirror was her. The sky blue dress clung to her curves and ripples flowed around her legs like a summer skirt. The sparkles added a cuteness to the frilly hems and complimented the creamy colour of her arms and legs. Her dark hair was pulled back from her forehead in several curls varying in sizes; the thinner straight strands flowed down her neck. There were clips small enough to look like gemstones that kept her hair in place.

The second she arrived at the stone steps of the entrance, Hinamori saw her escort's shoulders tense and then he was turning towards her. She saw his lips part slightly and then she looked up into his ocean blue eyes. Hinamori knew that if he could see something in her then maybe the rest of the world could to.

"Wow," Jagger said stepping closer. "You just-" In that moment, it wasn't just the dress or the way her hair was done. But she herself was breathtaking.

"Same to you." He made a tuxedo look better than just an outfit. As handsome as he was, though, she couldn't help glance behind him and gape, speechless. The palace was illuminated by candles the colours of the season that waved against a circular glass dome making a vast winter wonderland of blue and white. The stripes of golden bars outlining the polished white walls added a golden glimmer to the open space. Several chandeliers hung like upside down birthday cakes from the ceiling by golden chains varying in sizes. Dozens of couples danced, in perfect unison in a reflection of windowpanes above them and they seemed to twinkle as if they were dancing on the starry night sky. A few men and their dates were lounging on the side, awed by the gathering. Everyone here knew everyone else.

"Wanna dance?" Jagger offered his hand like a gentleman and bowed to kiss hers when she took it, she could imagine him treating her like his master, carrying out all her wishes. Hinamori never realized just how familiar this dance was before. Not only did she remember the steps well enough along with everyone else, her date was an excellent lead; guiding effortlessly. Nearby she saw his sister smile at her genuinely, before she whisked away into the next step. Each couple was apart of something magical, moving in time at just the right moment and precisely on cue. And for the first time since she'd been with the Kurado-Burado Clan, she knew exactly what to do. Jared never got tired of dancing and neither did she. She was one of them.

_What can a helpless human like you do when I have my back turned? _Hitsugaya's voice echoed like a bell in her mind, so clear that he might as well have breathed in her ear.

"Oh!" she gasped and stumbled, and her rhythm of the waltz vanished in an instant. Her escort veered her off the dance floor with his hand on her back.

"Watch it!" He pulled her out of the way from a man stumbling, dazed from his new consumption of blood. It wasn't until they stepped out onto the gravel path, did Jagger lean her against a wired fence and she hugged herself. His eyes wavered, clearly concerned.

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just need some fresh air."

"Oh yeah before I forget," Jared said as he shrugged out of his jacket and slipped her arms through holes, "I found this for you."

He held a thumbnail size pendant, she recognized his insignia: red and black yin-yang, he fastened it onto her silver chained necklace.

"Be right back," he told her, clipping her necklace back on. "I'll get you some tea."

Jared came back within seconds, before she took the cup; a flash in the shadows behind Jared shoulder caught her eye. A waiter nodded and was on his way again as Hinamori frowned. When she was about to take a sip, something like a small petal floated to the surface of her tea. When she looked down at the green liquid, the only object she saw was a rolled up leaf. They were abundant outside this time of the year, wilting from trees over the nearby forests. The leaf was crispy in her mouth as she slipped it between her lips and placed her hand over her mouth to slip it back out. Jared turned to her from his chatter. "Tea leaves."

"I'll get you another one."

Before she could protest, her hands were empty and he was out of sight again. Jagger was such a good decent night creature. She wished he'd accompanied someone who wouldn't distract him in more ways than one. With her fingers she pulled apart the leaf and she noticed the tiny strip of white from under the folds as it unfurled itself, revealing a message in green ink: "_The descendant requests your presence. An ally is gone. Darkness has arrived. See you at the tallest tower." _

**Authors Note**_**: **_**Special**** thanks go to: _SoullessReaper_ and _Hirako Senna _for their alerts! Super special thanks and congrats goes to _Kaishi-chan_ for being my 300th reviewer! And hugs to those who've been supporting me for months on this story! (you know who you are). See you soons.  
**


	26. Good Night

Chapter 26

What did it mean, an ally is gone? And the descendant? Also what did it mean by darkness has arrived? Remembering Hitsugaya had made her realize her date was his enemy. At last, Jared came up and sighed, "Who are you thinking of?"

"Pardon?" she felt sorry, both for herself and him that she tried to pretend to not think about it. "I don't know who you're talking about."

"I've lived long enough to understand when a woman is distracted when she should be having a good time."

"Jared-"

"Yeah?"

He looked into her eyes. "Take me to the bell tower."

The answer hit him suddenly, and he felt foolish as he saw the desperation in her eyes. He didn't wait for her to follow him but continued down a hall. Hinamori followed, wishing that the place didn't make her so nervous. As she took in the rich brown paneled walls and warm burgundy-leathery upholstery, she felt an undercurrent of power that came from each room. They kept walking, side by side. They heard people giggling and sneaking into the night. When they got to a new set of stairs the night air was more dense and cold, Jared led her to the back staircase alone, mostly because it was closed. Their footsteps clattered against the stone steps, but nobody seemed to hear them.

"This is the bell tower?" Hinamori seemed uncomfortable being led up the back staircase. Her gaze flew upwards, but instead of a bell, there was just an empty space where she'd expected it to be hanging.

"This palace belongs to shichou (superiors) we call them _the elders_, they belong to the grand organization _Kyujo_the imperial party that gives commands to all clans that attend meetings here, tonight they're hosting a grand union, whether we like it or not."

"The elders are here?" Hinamori's voice fumbled.

"Not _here_."

Jared's body suddenly went rigid. "What-"

Then she felt it too, Hinamori recognized his presence almost immediately, but hadn't believed her own senses but her mind was misleading her tonight. They whirled around and there in the shadows against the stone building stood Hitsugaya in his tuxedo. He was glaring- not at her, or the fact the two were too close for comfort, but at Jared. The prince stepped into the light that basked him in golden light, and it seemed to Hinamori that he had never been more handsome. When their gazes met, though, the moment lost all its beauty. Hitsugaya looked hurt and for a terrible second she felt guilty, because she knew she had worried him. She could see it in his eyes.

Within seconds, Jared bent and whispered in her ear, "Finish it and then call for me."

She was clearly taken back. She'd expected at least an argument, not a trade. Regardless about how they felt, he was her date.

"I'll come with you," she told him. But he shook his head. "That's okay. I am not in the mood to dancing anymore."

As she shrugged out of his jacket, her date shot Hitsugaya a look, then walked passed him and back the way they'd come, alone.

As soon as Jagger had left, Hinamori said, "Don't look at me like _that_."

"He was touching you. Possessively."

"He's was holding my hand!" she hugged herself, shivering.

"What are you doing here with _them _anyway?" Hitsugaya asked, the very sight of her renewing his strength and resolve. "I don't remember their name under the invite, it probably slipped my mind because you-"

When the wind rustled her hair, his words failed him. Her expression was etched in all emotions of betrayal.

Hitsugaya sighed, "You know I'm only looking out for you," his eyes made her pulse skip a beat.

He laughed a sad, strange sound. "You need someone to keep you safe. I want to be that someone."

"Don't fight for me. Be with me. That's what I want."

And in three long strides, he took the steps between them and took her into his arms. She slipped her arms around him and held him close and they could feel the warm of their body despite the wind that brushed their skin.

It took all her lover's restraint as he pulled pull away, "You smell like him. Too strong of a nature's scent."

Hinamori blinked, "Are you saying that I smell?"

Hitsugaya wrinkled his nose, "He does…let's just get you inside."

There was a door at the very end of the hall, Hitsugaya pushed it opened carefully. Last year, he'd been rewards with a wall of cobwebs and dust. They must have cleaned, because now they were able to step inside a lounge of couches, bookshelves and a fireplace. Hitsugaya closed the curtains and lit the fireplace, leaving almost half the place in shadows. They stared at each other from across the room; a smile tugged a corner of the prince's mouth, his eyes were intelligent.

Hinamori's stomach twisted and the blood pounded in her body. She ran into his arms, pressing her face into the stiff material of his dark coat. "Talk to me."

* * *

"There's something wrong with me," Violet said, once they stopped dancing."Physically or mentally?" Varen asked, flinging his jacket over his the back of his chair.

_Am I sick or just paranoid? _Violet wondered. She certainly felt under the weather lately. But this was a different illness- her _mind _felt empty.

"You already know I can read people's minds," she said. "But now I'm _seeing_ things. Dreaming about them."

Nightmares. She had told Jared about what she saw.

_ She'd be taking her night walks through the woods, instead of browns and blacks; she'd see white and red. Blood and death: Dismembered bodies, animals sucked down to their corpses; beheaded…you could continue the list. _

But the strangest of it all?

_Right in the middle of the massacre, there was a woman. She had a young pixie figure, with a curtain of dark tresses and a sharp smile that could give even the evilest creature a chill to their bones._

_ "Ah, Vecna daughter of darkness," the woman had said, extending a hand. "I've missed you, my child." _

Her brother had tried to look sympathetic but only came out distressed or deplorable. "It was just a dream. Are you sure your mind isn't just playing tricks on you?"

Violet frowned and shook her head, irritated at being unable to convey just how realistic everything was, or how difficult it was to convince herself that she hadn't heard her Kaiju ever since that human invaded her peace and then suddenly those strange dreams just started.

"Well do you still get those headaches?" Ember asked.

V shook her head. The headaches had stopped at about the same time their little friend arrived and then the visions began. She didn't know what was worse.

"Blaze, does the girl still think about her mother?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Everyday." She answered, picking her hair apart and separating it one section at a time: braiding first, tangling it, then unfurling it. "Why?"

Violet shrugged. She wanted to talk to someone about her new found suspicion, yet she was too mortified to claim that she felt a connection to a woman, whom everyone had assumed to be a dead mortal.

* * *

They didn't talk at all. Hitsugaya led her to the couch and pulled her down beside him. "Look at this."

He slapped down a bundle of print in her hands. "It was last month's headline."

The picture was blurry but she could easily recognize herself as the prince had her in a loving embrace under the downpour. _Hitsugaya affair…the young master's behaviour has people questioning his duties…_

Hinamori sighed, "It looks like it's going to be difficult to continue working under you with this accusation."

Hitsugaya dropped his hand from her hair, stood and walked, taking a seat across the table from her. "You won't be coming back, anymore. You've been released."

Something in Hinamori faltered as she continued to listen to Hitsugaya's confession. "I originally bought you with money so I could pay off your salary and severance at the tea shop when you were working under Chihiro's roof. Your payment is way beyond the amount specified, all paid off by me."

The loose papers slipped from her hands and scattered the floor, _that's right I really was originally bought with money. He was only meant to take me in for that reason alone. We inhabit different worlds; our lives have no intersecting points. I can no longer stand on equal grounds with him. Now that he doesn't have any use of me anymore… _

She gathered the papers, shuffling them in random order and placed them on the table between them. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

She couldn't see his face in the shadows, "Because you...you're angry."

He crossed his arms, "What am I angry about?"

_Old clans claim ancient rights: absolute control of that brings peace and wealth. The rights of clan are more than four or five generations old, making some seem more inferior. The reason for competition is simple: greed. _

_It goes all the way back to the very beginning, when chosen ones fought to become supreme rulers in court. They all stopped at nothing to increase their own powers. As time passed and numbers began to decrease, realizing that some were on the verge of withdraw, they were given the choice of either becoming a disciple of superiors or try to rebuild their legacy as a new organization. _

_Most traded their freedom for protection. Those who chose to betray their status were declined support from royal bloods. Because of this, the Kuro-Burado Clan remains in isolation and triviality for four hundred years._

_Then, hundred years ago, Aizen transformed a number of __jakuhaisha (fledglings) into forming a new organization: Kurado-Burado. The kaiju or fledglings agreed to not prey on one another and come to one's aid when faced with royal bloods. It wasn't long before a century long war was ended by the signing of the first blood treaty. Since then Aizen and Hitsugaya live in grudging coexistence._

Hinamori hugged herself, _He's irritated but more than that…_the prince stood from his seat, his face washed with depression that hurt her heart. _He's upset that I never returned to him. For the last time._

She bit her lip and glared at the carpeting not even realizing her tears creating the dark stains in the rug, "I belong to you," she whispered. She whipped her head up and stared into his startled eyes. "No matter what you do or say," she walked towards him, reaching till she brushed her fingers across his face caressing his temple gently. "I can't help being drawn to you."

She reached up and undid the simple bundle that kept her hair pinned. She let it cascade across her neck and shoulders. She shook out the curls, even as she touched Hitsugaya's neck. Hinamori tilted her head back to meet his eyes again but Hitsugaya gazed down at her, and for a moment he didn't speak nor breathe. It wasn't the elegance of her features, but the sincerity and strength that shone in her eyes that paralyzed him

"Even if no one knows, even if we don't go anywhere?" he whispered.

Hinamori smiled. "I don't care anymore."

And it terrified him. He had wanted her by him for the rest of their existence. But now in the depth of her love to him, he feared for her more than ever. Her wishes were his wishes as well. Yet it would never be simple to fulfill.

Hinamori slid her hand behind his neck and drew him down for the kiss they ached in the absence of each other. While she took his left hand and guided his fingers to her collar, shoulder, and up her arms, the heat of arousal turning into blazing fire when he felt the pounding of her heart beneath his palm.

Mustering all his strength, Hitsugaya stepped away.

"Wait." Hinamori pleaded and caught his hands in hers.

"We should stop tonight or we both know what will happen."

_Break me…_Hinamori went to the door and clicked the locks in place, she laughed but there was only innocence. "Are you running away?" she asked, as she reached behind her shoulders and unzipped her dress. It slid to the floor, crumpling around her ankles and one by one she stepped out of her undergarments until at last she stood before him, completely bare. No matter how many times, he'd seen her like this. All responsibilities, other duties were always erased.

_For this moment…_Theypressed against each other kissing deep and slow, hard and soft: a thousand different ways.

"What have you done to me?" he growled.

Her tears shred themselves, _we can never tell a soul…_ "Hitsugaya."

_Even though I shouldn't be, in blood and body… _"Hitsu…gaya…"

_You can devour me. _"Hitsugaya!!"

…An hour passed and Hinamori just watched him sleep, she brushed the scratches on his shoulder, the marks she gave him would disappear.She hooked the last catch on her dress in place before running her hands over the gown. She walked over to the couch and ever so gently brushed her lips against his. _Even if you hate me…_She closed her eyes, "I love you." The door clicked shut behind her.

* * *

Hitsugaya snapped awake and alone, "Hinamori?!"

He saw that she had folded his coat, he still had his pants on and placed neatly by his feet, on top of his coat was his gift: her silver necklace.

_"Jared! Jared!" _She thought it was stupid to call out to someone who wasn't even in the same building but she ran. Hinamori didn't dare turn her back until she was more than to the staircase. She was more frightened and broken than she'd ever been in her life. Hitsugaya had called her name, just as Jagger seemed to ripple into the air beside her, surprise had made him stumble.

"Let's go," Hinamori said, and his hand closed around hers, he whispered words and the whole world disappeared around them. He had mastered the balance between location and destination and then in a wrenching instant he would be dashing through flimsy shapes as the world traveled past him, too quick of a rush to identify. He hadn't wanted to go through the warp pool but Hinamori's voice had startled his sister and she had insisted he go.

Hitsugaya watched from above as they shimmered out into the night. He clenched his jaw and turned away, so he wouldn't have to watch as Hinamori ran away from him forever. Her love made the ultimate betrayal so much more disturbing.

The night air refreshed Hinamori as Jared brought them outside. The tension that had been knotted in her shoulders and neck evaporated as the cold air let shivers up her skin.

"You're shivering," Jared said crossly, "Are you sure you're okay with not waiting inside?"

"I like the stars, tonight."

Their carriage had arrived, Violet and her brother were already inside, their faces deep in the shadows. Hinamori smiled as Jared offered his hand and helped her into the ride. Taking his seat between her and his sister, Jared took his sister's hand in his but she didn't even smile and he glanced at Varen who just shook his head. V had fallen asleep resting against her oldest brother who closed his eyes.

Caught in a cascade of conflicting emotions and influences, Hinamori was at war with herself. She could feel the tears leaking from the corners of her eyes and she squeezed her eyelids tight, trying to rid the pain that consumed her soul. Jared wrapped a strong arm around her shoulder. She could feel his muscles taunt against her, and felt oddly comforted.

Jared had a good guess as to what was wrong but didn't push it. _I'll kill him. _On his right, his sister even though asleep wouldn't stop shaking as though the cold had finally reached her.

**Authors Note: Aww…crap I almost forgot to update before I went on vacation so here it is! I'll be back later in the summer so this story is on hold for a bit. Special thanks go to: **_**Xuco, mebelauretta, JoaNymAr12, xKaishisxMoonx, Ninjagurlo, insalacoa14 **_**and**_** ichigosmoothie **_**for their alerts! Also for **_**Hyuga Momo**_** for her recent PM. See you all later in August! **


	27. Hell After Midnight

Chapter 27

It took a moment for the brothers to realize that the carriage itself was slowing. The trotting of horse hooves became scrubby. Nevertheless, the ride had stopped, despite the questioning outside of their driver. The girls on either side of Jared sat up on the seat,"What the hell?" V whispered in a low voice. On the roadside, out of earshot of the carriage, Hinamori stared at the brothers. But the woman beside her had much keener senses than she, "Given the uproar of behaviour back at the palace, there has been an arrival of unexpected news."

The sister narrowed her eyes, _unexpected_. Given what her life had become, she wanted a new classification of unexpected. It was with curiosity that she got out to join her brothers. Hinamori couldn't hear what they were discussing but judging by the way her rival's face tightened with grief and heard the anguish in her cry. She glanced away, as Jared climbed back in to join her. Jared reached for Hinamori's hand, she hesitated aware that his sister was watching. "We're to leave them from here."

The maiden was watching them intently; worry plain on her face before exiting. Vishco reached to take his sister's hand. Anger blazed in his eyes and the human saw sadness as well, though they would deny it. The door became their wall and then the carriage strolled towards home again at far greater speed than which their journey begun.

"You know," Jared said, crossing his arms, "my sis is has been really conflicted since your arrival."

"Oh, that's rich. What was your first guess?"

The pain in his eyes erased all the humour; she placed a hand on his arm. "What's happened?"

"Let's wait and I'll tell you all that's happened with every detail. And you too have questions that need to be resolved?"

And what, if anything, did it have to do with the disappearance of Aizen Sosuke? He didn't say that thought out loud.

* * *

Violet kept close to her brother, he was beside her and she could feel the power radiating from him. He was tense with hunger. But tonight this was a different anticipation, not a thirst for blood, though his family merely enjoyed the taste of it. The real power came from memories, as night creatures the taste of blood simply saturated the aftertaste of horrid memories from human history. The greater supply of tainted blood gave a more sinister thought and with that the sibling trio ate memories till the soul was simply an emotionless container.

Though for fun they'd taint a soul to serve as a menacing puppet that could lessen their search for a midnight snack. But no matter Vishco's carnal bloodlust was replaced by the yearning of violence. No matter what the being, living or dead each had a considerable amount of life source that could easily be drained and be of use to him. He saw his sister close her eyes, "There's something…two of them out there but it's nothing I've ever seen before…they're enormous. They do not hold human forms…they are simply black gargoyles."

"They are all summoned by the same master…they're souls of the dead…morphed as pets. Their master either will or has made fast work of Sosuke-sama."

"What?" Vishco growled; his upper lip curled back revealing his canine teeth. "But Sosuke's a lord of dark arts! Every creature of the underworld is under his command!"

Violet's eyes saddened, "There are greater powers at work tonight. Our body is immortal but our souls can simply be erased from this world. We _were_ after all, human in the previous life."

Her brother's fingers grasped her shoulder, a smile forming in his lips, "Of course, we were but in the presence of the moon our family are destroyers of light. Who ever meddles in our relations will be eaten alive. Right, little sister?"

"Don't sweet talk me!" she snarled.

He scowled. "I was simply complimenting your clarity of mind."

A shriek tore from within the air. A carriage in the distance was rocking from side to side. The siblings jumped out onto the road. They watched as a carriage horse neigh in fright and the hansom cab lost control crashing against a lamp post, throwing the driver off. Something materialized from the cracks in the pavement, its wings nearly brushing the streetlights. Eyes of red fixed on the human driver even as it reached for the horses thrashing in the air; one animal was caught in the grip of a thing that could only be a pet of death.

"Run, human!" the siblings yelled.

But the driver still couldn't move. He stared in horror as the thing grasped the fallen stallion. The gargoyle opened its jaws, rows of jagged teeth glistening inside. Then it shoved the horse's neck inside and snapped its teeth down, shearing the head off, teeth grinding through bone and muscle. The human screamed in terror as the thing took hold of his leg, and in one swift motion, ripped him in half. Turning his cries into a bloody, burbling sound.

Suddenly the air thickened, Violet felt terror rise up inside her. She was the daughter of darkness yet she'd never been faced with powerful evils like this. This presence was like nothing before, and Aizen was gone somehow, and it was all too close to home for her. Her mind was always indecisive, and it made her weak. But it also made her strong.

An errant wind blew around her, energy coursing through her body and her hair swirled around her. Her nails elongated into needle point claws and she swiped her arm, drawing blood. She barely felt the sting. A line of blood welled up instantly and began to trickle across the stone pavement. Several drops fell to the cement.

And then the blood began to pulse from the cut, the flow increasing. Several drops that fell were abruptly frozen in mid-air, quivering there for a moment as the daughter recited a chant that was so second nature to her. The crimson liquid flowed around her, wrapping itself around her. Violet clenched her hand in a fist. More and more wrapped itself around her and the stream of blood that led from left arm thicken and morphed together in strips around her figure.

Her backless tube black dress cut deeply down the middle of her bossom was wrapped in red ribbons, her hair a curtain of raven tresses. Her skin was tattooed with patterns of blue spiked vines and red roses which swirled and twisted itself on every curve of her arms and legs down her ankles. A dark purple ten pointed star surrounded by feathery black wings patched itself under her left collar bone. Violet was beautiful. But the look in her eyes and the sneering lift of her mouth made her grotesque.

The creature that had attacked the human hesitated as it started towards her, its sharp claws making a clicking noise on the pavement. Its breath was staggering as it moved nearer; Violet's left hand was extended to the front as if beckoning the pet, the ribbons of her blood solidified like vine spikes flowing up her pale white fingers. The vines streaked outward in multiple strings, tracing the air in rippling lines that formed a cage of red between her and her victim. With a flick of concentration, the vines in her palm snapped forward as she latched them across the beasts face like a whip. Its wings folded around to protect itself, but suddenly it was instantly upon her, driving her to the cement, claws puncturing the flesh of her upper arm.

She didn't feel the pain as all senses were banished to control her power; her irises were simply a fog the colour of amethyst. Violet's hardened blood gathered at her finger tips and sprung forward like spears. It impaled the wings, and left eye socket of the pet. Its black blood splattered her face and body. With a twist of her vines with one hand, she punctured its skull and with her clawed nails, she slit its neck. The black liquid poured onto her chest, splattering onto the road beneath her.

Varen watched as his emotionless sister, simply nudged her attacker off her. It slumped to the ground, its body twitching in a puddle of its blood. He started walking to his sister, "Vecna, you should withdraw the transformation," Varen's voice was ghostly, worried, "You've lost a lot of blood-"

Then he heard a familiar noise that announced the work of relocation. The sound faded by the gasping of his brother.

"I came as soon as I sensed your release." the brother said.

His sister wiped her mouth and smiled. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

* * *

Hitsugaya sat stiffly in his chair and stared at superiors and companions. They had been debating about his issue that popped into last month's headline. It was this sort of business that he had been attempting to avoid since he had taken Hinamori under his care, his relationship with her was to be surreptitious. Tonight, all he could he do was return to the memories of reuniting with her; her body was always driving him to distraction. Even now he found his thought returning to the way her lips tasted, the silky softness of her body slick with sweat and-

"Hitsugaya-taichou? Hitsugaya-taichou!" Captain Kyoraku voice broke his thoughts, half of his companion's expressions were etched with worry but those more committed to the rules, they're gazes were that of suspicion. "Are you listening to the commander, Hitsugaya?"

Soifon was the only one who seemed to have lost her patience as Hitsugaya regained his composure because she simply smiled politely and nodded. "The geisha? Hitsugaya-taichou, what happened to the geisha?"

Everyone was staring at him now, he opened his sore, bruised lips like a fish, then promptly closed them again, his jaw cracked with pressure. "I've already dismissed her, what more do you want?"

Ukitake spoke before Soifon could spit out a crude question or statement,

"We have simply yet to meet her," his eyes flew to Hitsugaya's momentarily then the man was facing his sensei.

"We should let the woman decide what she wants do to because it's much to difficult to send her back to her old life…lord knows what she's already experienced in the past. It's the best to let her choose her life for herself, it's the least we can do for her unfortunate history."

Hitsugaya was shocked that the court (majority) was completely oblivious to his courtship with the geisha, "Well I apologize that my thoughts were elsewhere but I was contemplating how it was best to finalize the wealth and security of my servant-"

His blatant lie was interrupted by the sudden explosion of glass and commotion from the ballroom joined by a terrible deafening shriek.

He had been losing focus because he was overly worked today. The commoners in the room stopped dancing, and suddenly everyone was gaping in silence as something in a black body bag, plummeted towards them, it didn't flailed as it fell and a little girl screamed.

She was gazing at the blood pouring onto the dance floor, streaming onto the tiles beneath the figure. The little girl's voice was one of the few that joined the rest of the crowd as she continued to cry.

* * *

The eldest brother stared at his sister for a long moment, questions swirling in his mind. He took a breath. The only reason he could think of for Aizien's rumoured murder was that the queen had grown tired of waiting. The thought troubled Varen deeply. If someone else was looking for them then someone was tracking their every move. The hunters were becoming the hunted.

Jared stared at the creature, studying its transformation for the first time. It was nothing like Kaiju as they still possessed a body and some sense of mind. But _this_ creature of death was just a monster of hell. By the shattered pieces of the carriage, from what he could tell, there was body that wore the uniform of a house servant. He had seen death before but the slaughter of warm bloods made his own freeze.

The fallen creature by his sister twitched and then its claws sprung towards Violet who was lying face down by his brother, gasping. Jared took a step forward,

"_Burn," _and with a snap of his fingers fire fluttered from the tip and begun to consume the creature and the rest of the bloodied corpses, leaving their victims to burn. In the midst of its dispatch, the thing still twitched and flailed and shrieked. His command of magic was not as accurate as others in his history but there existed an array of magic charm in him that not even his brother and sister possessed.

"Vecna what are you doing lying there? _You_ get up now." Varen told her.

But the daughter of darkness couldn't move at all. Though the pain was overwhelming, but she could overcome it.

_No_, she realized with a sinking feeling, someone or something was hampering her ability to make her limbs do as she wished. She was literally immobile.

"My body- something's binding me! I can't move!"

"What?"

"I-I…" Her words were being mumbled. "I'm tired…guys…I can't feel my body, it's so light…Hmm"

Jared and Varen were at her side, shouting her name. The eldest brother reached down and paused, _what the…_"Red threads?"

**

* * *

Authors Note: What are **_**long**_** summer, and school's back, woo-hoo!!! (Haha…as if, I hate it). Sorry for the long wait peoples, but I hope you enjoyed your summer! I sure did. **

**Special thanks go to: **_**RiiXHitsuHina**_**, **_**BleachRed**_**, **_**Reiko 007**_** and **_**Xuco**_** for their alerts!!! **


	28. Death Is Here and It Wants to Eat You

Chapter 28

_Bang! Bang! Bang! _

The sound of Hinamori's fist continued to bounce off the door and echo in the enclosed space of her room. Jared had escorted her back home, and brought her to her room and before she knew it: he closed the door and locked it from the other side with an old fashion key. A few moments and she hit the door with a bang and then she was shouting complains of confusion, fear and then it all warped to anger. She wouldn't be able to leave until someone came back.

She gave up rattling the knob; her hand was aching from pounding the daylights out on her door. She closed her eyes and listened, calming the beating of her heart with the light pants of her breath. She kept on hearing Jared's voice in her head…_Stay. It's not safe tonight and you're not coming out till I come back with the key. See you as soon as I can. _

Hinamori wanted to scream, _what if you never come back? Will I die here? _

She sighed, somehow in her mind she knew that wasn't true. They might have locked her here, they may even be her worst nightmare but they hadn't hurt her yet so she had to make the best of her seclusion and figure this out because she was stuck between Hitsugaya and Jagger. _Why must you be enemies? _ She had to choose between two worlds: Day or Night. Her body was changing; it was leaving her days of humanity and awakening into her nights of restricted power. She couldn't figure out whether this power would destroy or benefit her.

Then her head snapped up. Her body had picked up a presence on the other side of the door, a source of power. Hinamori took a few involuntary steps away from it. Her eyes stared at the black paint of her door, she saw the image, saw it open with her will. But nothing happened as she stood there, waiting.

"Jared? Ember?" she whispered, her heart began to accelerate as she stared at the blackness, "Is anyone there?"

There was no answer. She frowned and her eyes narrowed, she was tired of games and with a new found strength she reached for the golden knob and turned, it opened as she let the door slip away from her fingers, she back away as the door opened on it's own accord, as if pulled by an imaginary string. It stopped just before it made contact with the wall and Hinamori was staring into the darkness in front of her as it waited for her to accept the invite.

* * *

While she was immobile, Violet didn't understand what she was seeing, it was like looking into a mirror to a different dimension, but it was Hinamori she saw at home. The geisha slowly stepped out the threshold of her bedroom, looking from left to right and up and down into darkness. She moved her hand along the wall until she found the lights; she squinted against the brightness as she called out to the empty household, "Hello? Is anybody here?"

Hinamori's voice was like a bell ringing in Violet's mind. Crystal clear and echoing. A sudden fear crept into Violet as she watched the geisha walk away from the security of her bedroom. _Go back. Turn around. No one's home! _

Violet watched as Hinamori walked down the stairs towards the familiar hallways of the house, turning on every light switch she could find. The light gave life to the blacks and whites of the walls and to the red of the carpet. Violet didn't like the feeling she was getting as she winced against the vines that wrapped her motionless. She heard her brothers worried voices beside her.

"What are you doing?" Jared lost grip of a vine he was trying to bite through, "I told you not to move."

"It's useless." The moment Violet was speaking to her brothers out loud, in her mind Hinamori froze. And then human was looking in all the wrong places, up at the ceiling, behind her or pressing her ear against the walls.

"Violet?" she asked, "You're here?"

_No. _Violet realized that the geisha couldn't hear her silent thoughts, so she said, "Turn around _now_ and go back to your room!"

Lying on the pavement, she saw her brothers shoot her strange expressions, Jared asked, "Who are you talking to?"

"I'm not talking to you! I'm talking to the human!"

In her mind, Hinamori's expression went from confusion to fear, "But you _are _talking to me! I can hear you but I just can't see you. Violet where are you? This isn't funny!"

Violet watched as she turned through halls, opening doors and peaking into the rooms and closing them on her way out. She was searching for the source of Violet's voice.

"Look, I'm not home right now I'm actually lying on the ground not able to move and my brothers are trying to set me free."

Hinamori's expression actually turned worried and scared as she started to randomly search behind everything from bookcase, to drapes to cupboards. Violet began to panic more as she started getting angry at the woman.

"I told you, get your ass back into your room, you idiot! I don't know how you got out but I'm telling you that no one's home right now and it's not safe so turn around NOW!"

Now Jagger and Vishco were questioning her, saying "Are you okay, V? Why are you talking to yourself?"

Violet tried ignored them as she tried to concentrate on the image in her mind; it was starting to distort the more her emotions rose. Hinamori had stopped searching and now she was standing in the middle of their living room, arms crossed a serious expression on her face as she shouted, "I might be living in your house Violet but you can't tell me what to do!!"

_That_ did it, Violet stared shouting into thin air, "You stubborn bitch, I'm trying to protect you even though I don't know why but obviously if your room door opened without the key, something _must_ be wrong but I guess you're too clueless to figure that out!"

Violet thought she scared her as Hinamori took the stairs two at a time, "Wait, Hey!" Hinamori rattled the knob, it was locked. "That's _my _room-"

Violet felt her brothers pull at the threads of red vines, she winced. "Ouch that hurt, you moron! I told you it's useless you can't untie me!"

In her head, she saw Hinamori smile and then she was running down the stairs again, "Your voice, it's...it's coming from the basement!"

Violet saw something move passed the geisha, and it terrified her. "No! You're not safe, I told you to go back!" Hinamori wasn't listening as she was almost down the stairs and then at the door to the library.

She didn't see her but Violet heard Ember's voice in the background, _she must have just gotten home. _ "Momo why are you being so noisy? Who are you talking to?"

Violet watched as Hinamori turned around to probably see Ember materialized at the top of the twisting staircase; she saw the door behind the human, opening inward. She also heard Ember's voice shouting and footsteps thumping as an invisible force pulled Hinamori through the entrance. Violet shouted as a black door shut in her mind.

* * *

Something had grabbed her from behind.

The temperature of the person was familiar as a palm clamped over her mouth. There was a physical and mental contact affecting her. She intended to escape by trying to bite her victim as hard as she could.

_Fool. I bite back just as hard. _

This captor was female. Hinamori felt the ground disappear beneath her as she was carried through the pitch black library and down a flight of stairs. This woman was too strong, Hinamori was getting terrified and confused because she felt that at any moment her neck could snap.

Her captor let go of her and the room exploded in light. Hinamori covered her eyes. What she saw sent needles up her spine, at first she thought it was Violet but this woman had green eyes. Hinamori watched as the woman stretched, her bones cracked with every movement that was made. And then she yawned which made Hinamori wonder if night people could sleep. There was nothing to do but face death as calmly as she could as green eyes stared at her.

"You're human," she said, her voice purred but it was also motherly: tender and soothing.

Hinamori glanced away, looking at a broken mirror on the floor. She said nothing, her legs felt like jelly.

"I don't like being locked up," the woman said, "the darkness; it really irritated me, having slept in it for so long. I _despise_ it."

The geisha simply looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

"I presume your memory is lost having changed to what you are now. You don't remember always threatening each other? It was always life or death with us. We hate each other and I know what you think of me."

"What?"

"You put me to sleep once and now it's your turn."

_What is she talking about? She can't be serious. _

The smile on her face and the reflection in her eyes said she was hungry. _She's serious, alright. _Hinamori couldn't think or breathe anymore when she saw the fangs that would tear her apart.

"You were the strongest sorceress I knew. You weren't pathetic or weak, you weren't seeking destruction but you sought peace, that made you vulnerable and now you _are _vulnerable without your powers."

Her face hardened. Her irises glowed, her pupils like black holes. Eyes like that and Hinamori knew she was so dead.

"Don't look so frightened," she said. She stepped forward flashing teeth.

"For you," Her voice was like knives, slick and sharp. "I'll make it painless."

Her grasp was weak but not enough for Hinamori to escape, she felt teeth pierce of neck. Her emotions snapped because death was coming-soon, but before that something happened that was completely astounding.

Hinamori felt a rush in her veins, it began at her neck and then it exploded in her brain. All she could see was the woman's mind.

It all happened at once, she saw memories, felt emotions and felt all five senses rushing into her head. And then she saw girl, a teenager: Violet.

She was lying on the side of a road, her blood was staining the ground, and her arm and leg were broken. Her hair was matted with her blood as well. There was a thin layer of snow on her three inch black boots and jacket, she was gasping. Her lips were blue.

Hinamori walked up to her and stared down at her shivering body but when she spoke it wasn't her voice, it was the voice of her captor.

"Foolish girl," she brushed her hair away from her face. "You never listen to what I say."

Violet was just lying there bleeding, shivering and unable to mutter a word.

"You have a choice to make. You can choose whether or not to die."

Violet coughed.

The woman continued to speak, "I'll show you a different world, one where you see _everything_. And don't you want to see _more_ of life _and _death?"

Violet didn't have much time. "Join me in a world of power and I'll give what you've always desired. Freedom, I'll give you your freedom."

Violet didn't understand anything but Hinamori saw that she didn't want to die; no one did at such a young age.

"For you, I'll make it painless."

Violet closed her eyes and waited, for a second chance.

Something shattered the recollection, and Hinamori was staring into the woman's green eyes as she said, "_You_ are not Yui."

The geisha heard someone's muffled voice, "You're messing with the wrong sorceress."

The crunch of wood blasted in Hinamori's ear and suddenly a hand appeared, smashing her captor's face into the splintering wood of the door.

**Authors Note: Sorry for the late update guys, but school is my first priority at the moment. I'm still here but I'll be updating less frequently, mostly once a month. Special thanks go to: **_**TwilightSuzuka09, Maddieluvsgreen06, DamageReport, ubiquitousiam, Juuban-Taichou, **_**and**_** Jeniz**_** for the alerts! Thanks for the patience and support! See you all next month! **


	29. Escape The Grasp

_Oh My God_**, **can you believe it a **REAL TRUE UPDATE**?

Chapter 29

Hinamori's moment of hope and relief was shattered when her captor grabbed the hand of whoever smashed her face in, her captor's words were inaudible and in a language Hinamori didn't understand. A moment of silence was pierced with a roar of pain as the pale hand retreated through the splintering hole. Whoever was on the other side of the door, fell against it, his breathing was ragged.

"Well," the woman spoke sweetly, "I should probably introduce myself; my name is Leira Lovebourne."

She looked down at Hinamori with sheer interest.

"Now, what shall I do with you?" she asked. She grabbed her by the arm and opened the door. Hinamori saw the body as her own feet stepped over it, her heart filled with fear as she recognized his form. It was Jagger.

"Jared!" she cried, and felt her body fall towards him. She knelt by him. He was laying face down on the dusty floor. Hinamori wasn't certain but his arm seemed out of place as a bizzarre pattern of purplish-black lightning snaked his neck. He was still breathing though, and for first time in her life Hinamori saw the fear and concern he possessed for her deeply through the connection of their gazes. And then pure hatred as he looked passed her at Leira.

"You," his ragged breath blew a cloud of dust as he spat the word at her.

Leira looked at Jagger with adoration, "You've grown so well, Jagger dear."

"Fuck you."

She laughed a scary sound. "Well, I see your manners haven't improved over the decades." She knelt by him, brushing his cheek and whispered wickedly, "But today I have no business with you."

Hinamori gasped as her body froze. She suddenly felt that she was no longer in control of her body as her brown orbs stared into emeralds. Something was pulling at her mind- something _powerful_. She felt the pull of her body like a puppet on strings as her legs took her in the direction of Leira's motion. "Come."

Then Jared was yelling, "_Do not touch her!_"

But the pain on his body made him curse in agony, whatever Leira had done to him, it wasn't going to help him save the geisha now as her legs carried her up the dark staircases to whatever death was-

Her eyes bulged and she heard herself whimper because the front door was opened and there crouched down in a pouncing stance was a black wolf, she didn't have time to register just how _huge _it was because by the time she screamed, it leaped over her and clawed Leira straight across her abdomen. It cut the fabric of her dress and grazed the skin, just a scratch. Still, she was fast and she dodged before blood could be spilled.

Hinamori needed a weapon and fast. She found a katana just for display above the fireplace; she unsheathed it, throwing its casing aside and ran back towards the front door. She saw the animal fly halfway across the field through the open door but its body twisted and landed on all fours with a limp. She hesitated, she never held such a menacing weapon before and it felt heavy in her vulnerable hands.

Hinamori brought the sword up as she saw the wolf shake its head and began bounding back towards the house at a frightening pace but she was only concentrated on stabbing the woman as she drove the blade forward.

To her immediate confusion, she no longer felt a weapon in her hands as she watched it being knocked out of her grasp by an invisible force and spin out of control in the air before smashing into the door frame, clanging to the wooden floorboards. Her numbness was disrupted as a scouring pain exploded in her shoulder. Looking down, another crimson ribbon passed through her abdomen.

There was a roaring in her ears but the pain that engulfed her body sent an electric shock through her limbs. It centered in her chest, where something blazing hot swam in her veins, she felt it in her bloodstream. She hadn't realized anything could hurt like this. And then this burning in her exploded.

* * *

Vishco watched it sprung from the human in a rippling veil of colours. An aura that poured itself from her body and rocketed in all directions, burning everything it touched in its path in a never ending bubble of fire. It was all he could see, a rainbow of transparent flames. Power wasn't meant to be released this way. He gave one final roar and felt himself change. He felt everything shrink and ripple like liquid in thin air and he barrel rolled into his human body then he was running on two legs instead of four. He was yelling at her to focus and gather the energy. By the look in her eyes, she wasn't conscious of herself.

Her body seemed to have difficulty containing it than releasing but she felt the fire in her body simmering away as if she were stomping it out…

The world was spinning, getting fuzzy on the edges. At least the pain was disappearing, her body felt light. Her eye lids weighed a ton.

"What happened?" Where is she? Where'd Leira go?"

"She's gone! She ran, escaped..or whatever!"

"Momo?" It was a breathless question, a pause and the voice completely changed. It panicked. "Momo? Say something!"

Her body shook and she realized someone was holding her.

"No," Jagger shook his head and his voice sounded different, empty. "We have to do something."

Her body disagreed. She felt the world dimming. A light centered itself in her world. Suddenly she could see something else, the only thing in her mind that stood against the darkness.

Her mother.

* * *

Hinamori recognized the curtain of dark tresses tied in a pony tail, although in the light it was a dark blue, her brown eyes; the ones she inherited herself were emotionless but there was fury on her innocent face. Her mother was wearing a black kimono, similar to one of her own but hers was embedded with pink threads sewed in a pattern of her favourite flower, Lily of the valley.

Her mother shook her head, _it's too soon, and you haven't even lived your own life yet. _

_ Mother?_

_ Focus, Momo. You __**must**__ awaken._

_ But-_

_**Focus. **_

She did, and her world shattered. Nothing in _this _world was gentle and warm. Someone was shouting. _DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU WILL NOT DIE, AND WHEN YOU WAKE UP, __**I'LL**__ KILL YOU MYSELF! _

Her mother's eyes lightened and the shouting in Hinamori's head dimmed, Yui was holding a red ribbon. Her daughter recognized the thread. A life thread; _her_ life thread, barely visible in her mother's palm but she knew if she didn't take it now, she'd be gone forever. She caught her mother's gaze.

_You better hurry up and take it, there's no time left. _

_ But I want to ask you-_

_ It's okay, I've always been with you._

_ What?_

_ Time will change once you get back to the present, things will be different. So just promise me one thing, to search deep within yourself_ _to find me._

_ I don't understand._

_ Go. Grasp your true self and remember I'll be watching you. _

The ribbon was disappearing, dissolving into threads. Her mother took her hand.

_I'll be waiting. _

_ Okay._

Her mother smiled apologetically, _this is going to hurt __**a lot**__._

_ Wh-_

Hinamori's eyes closed, in her mind a beautiful crystal perfume bottle appeared, and it was drawing in all the air around , she was being pulled away, inch by inch. And the white light was fading and she was heading towards her body that was aching and sore. But then the internal pain was what was killing her like a bitch. The fire was back in full force and then there was a bunch of pictures, ones she couldn't understand…

* * *

Ember's voice rang in her ear. "Look, She'sbreathing! She's breathing! She's conscious again!"

Hinamori felt _wrong_, her muscles were shuddering on their own. Her body was convulsing against a weight of an animal. She saw blurs around a vision that she couldn't comprehend, both in and out and she was shrieking at the top of her lungs.

Someone's finger was like a feather light breeze on her cheek.

"I'm sorry, but this is the only way." Jagger turned to stare at the arrival of his sister, "Do it."

* * *

Violet gawked at her brother in utter disbelief and then she glared, "Are you insane...no never-mind, of course you are. Why should I help _her_

-"

Jagger exploded in a clutter of emotions, anger, depression and desperation. "SHUT UP! You're going to listen to me and you're going to like it, if you wanted to kill her so badly, you would have done so years ago!"

He ignored an irritating stinging on his fingers as it continued spreading into his palms. "_You _of all people in this family, should understand the best why we haven't killed her..." He stared down at the human in his arms, her blood was soaking into his clothes, stinging his skin but now as it caught his attention...the sight of it spilling in front of him caused him agony, yet the scent of it made him yearn and then the other part of him wondered..._how would she taste like..._he blinked and then he was gasping as if he couldn't breathe. Beside him, his brother pulled him away, the human sliding off his lap. She was taking deep and painful breathes as Violet placed her trembling hands against the woman's temples.

* * *

Violet _never _liked getting close and personal with any of her victim's minds, but her brother was going to get an asthma attack if she didn't put the geisha in her rightful place. She didn't expect whatever happened to happen, the next thing she knew after she closed her eyes was that her own thoughts were scattering around her, flying away from her into white light, her vulnerability was being sucked away from her...as she watched into a crystal bottle. But that wasn't the only thing she didn't understand, she felt and saw things she couldn't remember in all her life the closer she walked towards the glass bottle.

"What are _you _doing..._here_?" a voice asked. "_I'm _the only one allowed here!"

Violet stumbled, she fell onto marble floor...as she looked closer...it was covered in broken glass mirrors. She picked a piece off the ground in front of her. No, it wasn't just broken glass...they were little bits and pieces of images. Her own memories? She picked up another piece...but she didn't recognize it...this piece she definitely didn't remember...this one must be-

"It's _mine_!" someone shouted, snatching the broken shard out of Violet's hand, cutting them both in the quick exchange. If she wasn't shock and confused enough, she saw that she was bleeding, actually bleeding like for real. It was the first time in years that she'd seen her own blood...blood the colour of rose petals and it was warm...hot even. And then she felt her eyes felt funny...was she about to cry? But she didn't because in the next moment, right in front of her she was looking into the eyes of a child. Eyes the colour of chestnut, innocent and terrified...the child hesitated staring back at Violet and then her expression changed to that of annoyance. The child started screaming, "_Get out! Get out! Get out!"_

Violet couldn't reaction in time as the little girl hurled a glass shard right in her face, she felt the glass cut through her skin, splitting her cheek. The girl was screaming at the top of her lungs and then with her own bloody hand, she reached out and slapped the intruder across the face.

* * *

Ember hadn't meant to slap her across the face that her neck seemed to like it snapped, but the sister just wouldn't awaken. The men were shouting at Ember, "Just grab her, _come on!_ This place is going to burn itself to the ground!"

"Move!" Vishco growled and yanked Ember by the arm. "OW!"

He reached down and threw his sister over his shoulder and grabbed Ember again, pushing her towards the front door. "Move it, Redhead!"

In the field, Jagger was keeping his distance from Hinamori but watching her sleeping body, in the middle of the field. He was afraid if he got too close, he'd get disoriented again, whatever it was she did to him earlier. He heard his brother and Ember loudly storming across the field. Violet still unconscious on Vishco's shoulder. The house behind them was still burning, the smoke was going to be noticed soon and from the looks of it, there was no stopping this inferno. His brother's shadow towered him.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

Jagger flexed his muscles, they were sore but he nodded. He caught his sister as she was dumped onto him, staggering at the weight. His brother stalked across into the distance and he picked up the human girl, holding her as if she were broken glass, fragile to the core. Ember was struggling to keep up, "Where are we going?"

"Will you just shut up and walk?" Vischo snapped, he wasn't in a good mood. "We have to get away from here or else the neighbours are going to see the smoke and we'll only be asking for trouble."

"But what-what happened up there?" she sounded close to tears, "What happens...now?"

"I-I don't know! It's not like we asked for this, everything was fine until-" Vishco stared at his brother, Jagger was leaning against a tree, Violet was slipping off his shoulder. "Jagger, dude come on...we-" his brother looked into his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Vishco stared at his brother as he began to shake violently, his eyes glinted, his teeth baring, his breathing was getting heavier. His eyes fell onto the human in his arms, "Jagger...you can control this, you _have _to or you'll-"

Jagger's eyes glowed, he half growled and groaned. "I can't. _I need to feed...now._"

In the distant wind, his brother imagined hearing _that _voice, hearing it loud and clear as if she were watching, laughing at them, enjoying their dilemma. _I'll be waiting for you. Waiting to kill you._

Around him, he saw his sister limp against their brother, Ember was shivering like the little girl he thought she was, his twin was losing himself and then Vishco stared down at the woman in his arms, "Fuck."

**

* * *

Authors Note: **Wow, my writing has gone rusty. Sorry for the late update but I've got art school and one of my new projects I just thought up was drawing THIS STORY's characters! I've already drew Jared but I'm still in the process of drawing the others! But that's life, school sucks, nothing's perfect and I've almost dropped this story. But...whatever I've started _MUST_ be accomplished in the end. I LOVE WRITING(not so much reading) CLIFF HANGERS! This will probably be my last confusing cliffhanger moment in a while, but I've just got so many ideas hidden I feel like I should throw them in but I don't know... I'm not going to even bother with my next date update because even I don't know anymore! I truly give out my sincere apology to everyone but...I'd also like to hand out a huge thanks to the following: **_kaiZeNaAsHi, Dance Sode no Shirayuki, lolzalwys, Rikku Deathberry, XxChibiYumiChanXx, SongInTheDark, RandomRezz, HiMeChAaAn, serenity095, waterblossemangel13, Supreme cookieeater NANCY, hawkfrost54, NNLove, blackwitchkarma, Enattia, nervchen, cindimongo, Kisakurachan, cocoaalovee., Proxima __Shining, KeroMitch, AmITheAngel, Chocoholic Kris, sexy-hitsuhina-forever, darklover _**and **_Hitsumaru._**

_**TRULY THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU EVERYONE BOTH ALERTERS AND FANS/READERS! 3**_

_UNTIL NEXT TIME!_

_P.S: I __**WILL**__ UPDATE AND FINISH THIS STORY NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES!_

_It's YOU (yes you readers) who have kept me willing to continue this story with all the wonderful feedback and favourites, though I don't think I deserve them cause I F.A.I.L! But thanks. 3_


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